Diversity of Cyanobacteria on Limestone Caves

Abstract

The caves are the biodiversity centers for different types of microorganisms, especially for cyanobacteria. They are also present in almost all extreme environments, and their importance in terrestrial ecosystems is greater because of the decreased competition from vascular plants. Cyanobacteria occurring on rocks are epilithic (colonizing the substrate surface), hypolithic (growing under pebbles and small stones), and endolithic (present in an upper layer of rock). There are three limiting factors for cyanobacteria growing in caves: light or its lack, high humidity, and constant temperature. In caves, one can find not only the cosmopolitan cavernicolous species but also rare taxa. Light, transmission, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laboratory cultures, as well as molecular phylogenetic studies are important tools in the study of cave cyanobacteria.

Life in the dark: far‐red absorbing cyanobacteria extend photic zones deep into terrestrial caves

“…The morphological and/or genetic identifications of phototrophs with FaRLiP capacity (e.g. Leptolyngbya , Chroococcidiopsis ) in other limestone environments such as Mayan ruins (McNamara et al ., ), caves (Lamprinou et al ., ; Joanna and Andrzej, ) and hypogean catacombs (Gabrielle et al ., ) would suggest that limestone surfaces are particularly suitable habitats for cyanobacteria with Chl d / f , possibly due to material‐specific reflectance properties, which could produce spectrally induced stratifications similar to those found in aquatic ecosystems (Stomp et al ., ). We note that limestone has comparable spectral properties with other rock materials (e.g.…”

Unravelling unknown cyanobacteria diversity linked with HCN production

“…The polyphasic taxonomy applied to the strains of this study revealed taxa known to be part of bloom-forming communities (Sphaerospermopsis and Nodularia), rock-dwelling communities (Scytonema and Tolypothrix), and hot spring cyanobacteria mats (Desertifilum and Gloeotrichia) (Dadheech et al, 2014;Mazur-Marzec et al, 2015;Gkelis et al, 2017;Joanna and Andrzej, 2018).…”

“…Cyanobacteria are considered the pioneering inhabitants in cave colonization (Joanna and Andrzej, 2018). They prevail in the cave entrances compared to the other microalgae (Mulec and Kosi, 2009) by colonizing various parts of the cave entrances, where biodiversity is the lowest (Vinogradova N. et al, 1998).…”

Cyano-assassins: Widespread cyanogenic production from cyanobacteria

“…The polyphasic taxonomy applied to the strains of this study revealed taxa known to be part of bloom-forming communities ( Sphaerospermopsis and Nodularia), rock-dwelling communities ( Scytonema and Tolypothrix ), and hot spring cyanobacteria mats ( Desertifilum and Gloeotrichia ) (Dadheech et al, 2014; Mazur-Marzec et al, 2015; Gkelis et al, 2017; Joanna and Andrzej, 2018). Our results revealed the presence of taxa not previously described from Greek habitats (Gkelis et al, 2016), such as Allinostoc (Saraf et al, 2018) and Oculatella (Osorio-Santos et al, 2014) and taxa previously described only from the tropical zone like Komarekiella and Kovacikia (Miscoe et al, 2016; Hentschke et al, 2017).…”

“…were isolated from extensive dark-green coverings dominated by cyanobacteria like Phormidium , Tolypothrix, Scytonema , and Geitleria species. Cyanobacteria are considered the pioneering inhabitants in cave colonization (Joanna and Andrzej, 2018). They prevail in the cave entrances compared to the other microalgae (Mulec and Kosi, 2009) by colonizing various parts of the cave entrances, where biodiversity is the lowest (Vinogradova N. et al, 1998).…”