Preliminary data on the bacterial diversity of Dobšinská and Demänovská ice caves (Slovakia)

A study reveals that the bacterial communities in Dobšinská and Demänovská ice caves, part of Slovakia's UNESCO-listed Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst, are dominated by Acinetobacter and Bacillus species, with only two common bacterial species between the two sites. The research, using Sanger and Illumina sequencing, identified 7 and 12 bacterial species respectively in these caves, also noting higher diversity in ice samples compared to sediments or water. The findings highlight potential impacts of climate change on microbial evolution and tourist activity on microbial community structures, marking the first comprehensive insight into the bacterial diversity of these unique underground habitats.

Haidău, C., Nováková, A., Cunningham, M., Allenby, A., Kumaresan, D., & Hillebrand-Voiculescu, A. (2022). Preliminary data on the bacterial diversity of Dobšinská and Demänovská ice caves (Slovakia). ARPHA Conference Abstracts, 5. https://doi.org/10.3897/aca.5.e89620