Emerging Ecotone and Microbial Community of a Sulfidic Spring in the Reka River near Škocjanske Jame, Slovenia
During long periods with no precipitation, a sulfidic spring (Smrdljivec) appears in the dry bed of the Reka River before sinking into the karst underground. The study characterizes the area’s geological setting, development of microbial communities and an ecotone, and impact on the vulnerable karst...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/12/655 |
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| author | Janez Mulec Andreea Oarga-Mulec Sara Skok Stanka Šebela Rosana Cerkvenik Tomaž Zorman Ladislav Holko Tina Eleršek Lejla Pašić |
| author_facet | Janez Mulec Andreea Oarga-Mulec Sara Skok Stanka Šebela Rosana Cerkvenik Tomaž Zorman Ladislav Holko Tina Eleršek Lejla Pašić |
| author_sort | Janez Mulec |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | During long periods with no precipitation, a sulfidic spring (Smrdljivec) appears in the dry bed of the Reka River before sinking into the karst underground. The study characterizes the area’s geological setting, development of microbial communities and an ecotone, and impact on the vulnerable karst ecosystem. Geological mapping of the area, stable isotopic analyses, field measurements, and physico-chemical and toxicity analyses were applied to elucidate the environmental conditions. The spring’s microbial diversity was assessed using cultivation methods, microscopy, and metagenomics. Sulfur compounds in the spring probably originate from coal layers in the vicinity. Metagenomic analyses revealed 175 distinct operational taxonomic units in spring water and biofilms. Proteobacteria predominated in developed biofilms, and a “core” microbiome was represented by methylotrophs, including <i>Methylobacter</i>, <i>Methylomonas</i>, and <i>Methylotenera</i>. Diatoms represented an important component of biofilm biomass. A combination of environmental factors and climatic conditions allows the formation and accessibility of emerging biodiversity hotspots and ecotones. Details of their dynamic nature, global impact, and distribution should be highlighted further and given more protection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:18:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f5055af50ff249e5b9aaf89aeed8600b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:18:30Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-f5055af50ff249e5b9aaf89aeed8600b2023-11-23T07:56:43ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182021-12-01131265510.3390/d13120655Emerging Ecotone and Microbial Community of a Sulfidic Spring in the Reka River near Škocjanske Jame, SloveniaJanez Mulec0Andreea Oarga-Mulec1Sara Skok2Stanka Šebela3Rosana Cerkvenik4Tomaž Zorman5Ladislav Holko6Tina Eleršek7Lejla Pašić8Karst Research Institute, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 6230 Postojna, SloveniaMaterials Research Laboratory, University of Nova Gorica, 5000 Nova Gorica, SloveniaKarst Research Institute, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 6230 Postojna, SloveniaKarst Research Institute, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 6230 Postojna, SloveniaŠkocjan Caves Public Service Agency, Slovenia, 6215 Divača, SloveniaŠkocjan Caves Public Service Agency, Slovenia, 6215 Divača, SloveniaInstitute of Hydrology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84104 Bratislava, SlovakiaDepartment of Genetic Toxicology and Cancer Biology, National Institute of Biology, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaSarajevo Medical School, University Sarajevo School of Science and Technology, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and HerzegovinaDuring long periods with no precipitation, a sulfidic spring (Smrdljivec) appears in the dry bed of the Reka River before sinking into the karst underground. The study characterizes the area’s geological setting, development of microbial communities and an ecotone, and impact on the vulnerable karst ecosystem. Geological mapping of the area, stable isotopic analyses, field measurements, and physico-chemical and toxicity analyses were applied to elucidate the environmental conditions. The spring’s microbial diversity was assessed using cultivation methods, microscopy, and metagenomics. Sulfur compounds in the spring probably originate from coal layers in the vicinity. Metagenomic analyses revealed 175 distinct operational taxonomic units in spring water and biofilms. Proteobacteria predominated in developed biofilms, and a “core” microbiome was represented by methylotrophs, including <i>Methylobacter</i>, <i>Methylomonas</i>, and <i>Methylotenera</i>. Diatoms represented an important component of biofilm biomass. A combination of environmental factors and climatic conditions allows the formation and accessibility of emerging biodiversity hotspots and ecotones. Details of their dynamic nature, global impact, and distribution should be highlighted further and given more protection.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/12/655karstsulfidic springgeochemical gradientecotonemicrobial diversityconservation |
| spellingShingle | Janez Mulec Andreea Oarga-Mulec Sara Skok Stanka Šebela Rosana Cerkvenik Tomaž Zorman Ladislav Holko Tina Eleršek Lejla Pašić Emerging Ecotone and Microbial Community of a Sulfidic Spring in the Reka River near Škocjanske Jame, Slovenia Diversity karst sulfidic spring geochemical gradient ecotone microbial diversity conservation |
| title | Emerging Ecotone and Microbial Community of a Sulfidic Spring in the Reka River near Škocjanske Jame, Slovenia |
| title_full | Emerging Ecotone and Microbial Community of a Sulfidic Spring in the Reka River near Škocjanske Jame, Slovenia |
| title_fullStr | Emerging Ecotone and Microbial Community of a Sulfidic Spring in the Reka River near Škocjanske Jame, Slovenia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Emerging Ecotone and Microbial Community of a Sulfidic Spring in the Reka River near Škocjanske Jame, Slovenia |
| title_short | Emerging Ecotone and Microbial Community of a Sulfidic Spring in the Reka River near Škocjanske Jame, Slovenia |
| title_sort | emerging ecotone and microbial community of a sulfidic spring in the reka river near skocjanske jame slovenia |
| topic | karst sulfidic spring geochemical gradient ecotone microbial diversity conservation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/12/655 |
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