Diversity and Seasonal Dynamics of Airborne Fungi in Nerja Cave, Spain

Abstract

Nerja Cave, Southern Spain, was revealed as an important biodiversity reservoir from which several novel species of Aspergillus were described. We carried out an aerobiological study in Nerja Cave to assess the origin of airborne fungi. This study quantified the fungi present in the air of ten representative halls covering the three sectors comprising the cave: Touristic Galleries, High Galleries, and New Galleries. Microclimatological monitoring allowed us to understand the dynamic of airborne fungi in two seasons of the year (winter and summer), corresponding to the strongest and the lowest cave ventilation, and to validate the influence that the transport of airborne fungi from outside may have on the cave itself. The data show that cold air enters in winter, as confirmed by the abundant presence of Aspergillus and Penicillium spores inside and outside the cave. In summer, the abundance of some fungi in the air of Nerja Cave, which are not detected outside, indicates a stagnation or low ventilation, and therefore, the concentration of fungal spores is maxima. The high occurrence of Cladosporium outside the cave and the scarce abundance inside support the cave stagnation in this season.

Diversity of Microfungi in a High Radon Cave Ecosystem

“…The direct control that environmental conditions exert on the distribution of fungi in subterranean ecosystems has recently been demonstrated ( Jurado et al, 2021 ; Sanchez-Moral et al, 2021 ). The objective of this study is to know the distribution of the different fungal taxa throughout Castañar Cave, as well as the prevalence and spatio-temporal evolution of the fungi caused by the vomit over the years under conditions of high isolation of the cave atmosphere from the outside and an outstanding radon activity.…”

Speleomycology of Air in Stopića Cave (Serbia)

“…Relatively small dimensions of the rooms and galleries, which could contribute to the concentration of spores, in addition to the abundance of phototrophic biofilms all over the cave walls are considered to be main factors contributing to the fungal propagule abundance in the air of Cueva del Tesoro Cave. Jurado et al [41] investigated aeromycobiota of Cueva de Nerja (Spain) and during sampling in winter found two rooms with extremely high fungal propagules concentration: Kitchen Hall and Heracles Hall with 2170 and 1330 CFU m −3 , respectively. However, and contrary to our findings, both mentioned that Cueva de Nerja rooms during previous sampling in summer had low fungal propagules concentration and belonged to category I. Kokurewicz et al [14] conducted the aeromycological study in Nietoperek Bat Reserve (Western Poland) and detected the highest level of fungal spores reaching the highest number in November and January which placed investigated rooms to category V, but the authors also noticed the number of fungal spores in the air significantly declining in March.…”

Additions to the Knowledge of the Fungal Order Eurotiales in Korea: Eight Undescribed Species

“…Aspergillus griseoaurantiacus was isolated from house dust collected from Thailand, Mexico, and Yela of Kosrae Island [ 48 ], as well as from a soil sample in this study. Aspergillus baeticus has been isolated from cave sediment, cave air and bat cadaver in Spain [ 47 , 63 ], and from soil environment in this study.…”