The Comparison Of Manganese (II) Oxidizing Microbes In Two Cave Systems

This study focused on Manganese (Mn) oxidizing microorganisms found in two different cave environments. A community analysis of LBB positive and negative control samples from two cave systems was conducted to provide insight into the types of microbes that were present in each site location. Extracted DNA from clay/rock samples of 20 sites in Daniel Boone Caverns, a pristine cave environment, and Worley’s Cave, an anthropogenically impacted environment, was analyzed through Illumina amplicon sequencing to observe the differences in the bacterial/archaeal and fungal communities in different cave environments. The prokaryotic communities for the LBB positive samples in Daniel Boone Caverns were most dominated by Betaproteobacteria, Latescibacteria, and Gemmatimonadetes. The LBB positive samples in Worley’s Cave varied based on location within the cave. Samples located along the spur passage were most abundant with Gammaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria, while samples located along the river running through the cave were most abundant with Alphaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Gemmatimonadetes. The medium for the assembly of bacterial communities can depend on cave niches and the nutrients available.