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    STUDIA BIOLOGIA - Issue no. 1 / 2011  
         
  Article:   MICROBIAL ACTIVITY IN CAVES FROM PĂDUREA CRAIULUI MOUNTAINS (NW ROMANIA).

Authors:  TRAIAN BRAD, SUZANA ANDRUŞ, DIANA POP-SUGAR, MIGNON SEVERUS ŞANDOR, VASILE MUNTEAN.
 
       
         
  Abstract:  Microorganisms stand at the basis of every food web in subsurface environments. We report here the presence and abundance of air and soil microorganisms isolated from three caves in Pădurea Craiului Mountains (NW Romania). We determined the density of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria and various microbial physiological groups (i.e. iron reducing bacteria, ammonifying bacteria, denitrifying bacteria and air staphylococci) in air and soil samples obtained from the three caves. The largest density of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria was detected in the atmosphere of Peştera de la Vadu Crişului, a cave most visited by the tourists, and the smallest in that of Peştera cu Apă din Valea Leşului, a cave that is rather inaccessible to regular tourism. The entrance zone of all three caves contained more air microorganisms then the median and profound zone of these caves. Iron-reducing bacteria, ammonifying and denitrifying bacteria were present in the atmosphere of all three caves. No staphylococci were detected in the air of the three caves. The soil microorganisms prevailed in large number in Peştera de la Vadu Crişului, while their smallest density was registered in Peştera cu Apă din Valea Leşului. The ammonifying and denitrifying bacteria dominated the soil microbial community in all three caves. The density of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria was largest in Peştera de la Vadu Crişului, while this cave contained the smallest abundance of iron-reducing bacteria. The largest density of iron-reducing bacteria was instead registered in Peştera cu Apă din Valea Leşului.

Keywords: air and soil microorganisms, cave, Pădurea Craiului Mountains.
 
         
     
         
         
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