Human impact on underground cultural and natural heritage sites, biological parameters of monitoring and remediation actions for insensitive surfaces: Case of Slovenian show caves

Mulec, Janez

doi:10.1016/j.jnc.2013.10.001

Cited by 76 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…However, this was not seen in fungi cultured with 0.25% organic matter: several weak bands were detected at 6 and 12 months after culture (Figure 1). Organic matter contamination and fungal widespread are relatively common in caves open for tourist visits (Jurado et al, 2010b;Martin-Sanchez et al, 2012a,b), these findings indicate an alarming scenario as a small amount of organic matter could generate a fungal bloom despite the lack of other factors associated with these caves (Mulec and Kosi, 2009;Jurado et al, 2010b;Porca et al, 2011;Martin-Sanchez et al, 2012b;Šebela et al, 2013;Mulec, 2014). Several species of fungi are human pathogens and could be transported by visitors and proliferate in the closed environment of these caves (Jurado et al, 2010a;Taylor et al, 2013), which could be a major health risk to anyone who enters the cave.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, tourism has been shown to negatively impact the environmental factors within the cave, including the temperature, CO 2 concentration, and organic matter and microorganism content (Šebela et al, 2013;Mulec, 2014). Specifically, the development of microbial bloom in caves is extremely difficult to control and recover from (Mulec and Kosi, 2009;Jurado et al, 2010b); moreover, microbial bloom affects the attractiveness of the cave, influencing tourism, and could also be responsible for cave closure, due to the risk to human health and cave conservation (Jurado et al, 2010b;Saiz-Jimenez et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of organic matter enrichment on the fungal community in limestone cave sediments

et al. 2016

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ABSTRACT. Caves are considered major touristic attractions. The management plans of many such caves include limiting the number of visitors; however, the human impact on microbial communities within caves is rarely considered. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of human-transferred organic matter on the fungal microcosms growing on cave sediments. Samples were collected from a Brazilian limestone cave and cultured with 0.25 or 0.5% 1:1 (w/w) beef and yeast extract (simulating organic matter) under laboratory conditions. The contaminated fungal community was then evaluated at days 0, 30, 180, and 365 after inoculation by polymerase chain reaction denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. We observed changes 2 E.L.S. Marques et al. Genetics and Molecular Research 15 (3): gmr.15038611 in the fungal communities with time, as well as the concentration of added organic matter, compared to the control fungal communities. Additionally, the contaminated microcosms showed a greater number of operational taxonomic units compared to the controls. These findings suggest that tourist activity could cause fungal outbreaks of possible human pathogens, demonstrating the importance of fungal monitoring in these caves.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of organic matter enrichment on the fungal community in limestone cave sediments

et al. 2016

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“…Opening caves to the public brings changes that alter the environment, such as construction of walking surfaces and infrastructure for electricity and water (Mulec, 2014). Recreational use of caves dates back to the early seventeenth century (Šebela and Turk, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microclimate and microbial characterization in the Zinzulusa show cave (South Italy) after switching to LED lighting

D’Agostino¹,

Beccarisi²,

Camassa³

et al. 2015

JCKS

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Show caves are vulnerable environments whose conditions should be monitored over time. Many factors, such as visits by tourists and the installation of lights, can easily alter the equilibrium of the cave system. Grotta Zinzulusa is a show cave located on the southeastern coast of Italy. This cave is renowned for the richness of its faunal biodiversity, but little is known about its microclimate and about its microbial diversity in the form of lampenflora growth near the light sources. We investigated the photosynthetic microorganisms living in the Zinzulusa in regard to its microclimatic conditions one year after the change of the lighting system from tungsten to LED (light emitting diode) lamps. Most microbial activity was found in areas with vermiculations. We established four distinct communities based on macroscopic characteristics as a function of light intensity and wavelength. The observations were compared both with previous data collected in the last decade and with other caves reported in the literature. Results show that not much has changed within the first year after switching to a LED system with respect to the 1999 state. This research contributes to the knowledge of the environmental attributes and provides a baseline to check for changes in the lampenflora community over time in the Zinzulusa.

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“…The railway lines lie on 5,300 wooden ties (contact surface of each tie is 0.82 m 2 ). The tourist use of Postojna Cave is reflected in cave climate, crushed-sand and metal dust from beneath the train wheels, surface contamination, light eutrophication, lampenflora growth and the presence of ultrasonic smog (Šebela & Turk, 2011;Muri et al, 2013;Šebela et al, 2013;Mulec, 2014;Šebela & Turk, 2014;Šebela et al, 2015). Some 7 km towards the northwest, Predjama Cave (Predjama, 45°48'55.89"N, 14° 7'35.56"E), which formed in Cretaceous limestone, Upper Triassic dolomite and Jurassic limestone and dolomite (Čar & Šebela, 2001), is 13.1 km long with the Lokva River, which sinks at 462 m a.s.l.…”

Section: Cavesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Karst caves and karst aquifers are highly susceptible to pollution and biomass input from various sources such as wastewater discharge, agricultural and urban run-off (Mahler et al, 2000;Reed et al, 2011), and tourism (Jurado et al, 2014;Mulec, 2014). Locally high concentrations of biomass in Postojna Cave are related to human activities (Fig.…”

Section: Human Impact In Show Cavesmentioning

confidence: 99%

ATP luminescence assay as a bioburden estimator of biomass accumulation in caves

Mulec¹,

Oarga-Mulec²

2016

IJS

Self Cite

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Abstract:A commercially available adenosine triphosphate (ATP) detection system (Hygiena, USA), supported by cultivable microbial indicators, was used to estimate bioburden in different habitats in and outside show caves: air, water and solid surfaces. A strong positive correlation between ATP concentration expressed as Relative Light Units (RLU) and Colony-Forming-Units (CFU) was observed for swab samples from cave surfaces. In terms of ATP units, surfaces in a single cave system (Postojna Cave) varied considerably (240-1,258,800 RLU/ 20 cm 2 ) and commonly exceeded the bioburden level of analogues on the surface (0-114,390 RLU/ 20 cm 2 ). Cave sub-habitats were colonized by physiologically distinct microbial communities in terms of their nutrient demands, temperature requirements and r/K growth strategy. The highest ATP biomass indicator (1,258,800 RLU/ 20 cm 2 ) for the speleothem that had been touched but accompanied with comparable concentration of CFU (~10 6 CFU/ 20 cm 2 ) for other cave sub-habitats, can be related to the presence of deposited human epithelium skin cells. Show cave infrastructures containing heavy metals, e.g. copper used in safety fences, reduce the viability of microbiota. Mass cave visitation and the presence of allochthonous organic matter result in high levels of airborne and total biomass. Once such material becomes airborne, the location of its settling depends upon natural and humaninduced air movements. Underground habitats play an important role in the preservation and concentration of microbial biomass using air and water as transport mechanisms.

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Human impact on underground cultural and natural heritage sites, biological parameters of monitoring and remediation actions for insensitive surfaces: Case of Slovenian show caves

Cited by 76 publications

References 40 publications

Effect of organic matter enrichment on the fungal community in limestone cave sediments

Effect of organic matter enrichment on the fungal community in limestone cave sediments

Microclimate and microbial characterization in the Zinzulusa show cave (South Italy) after switching to LED lighting

ATP luminescence assay as a bioburden estimator of biomass accumulation in caves

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