Characterization of fungal communities in Puerto Rican caves using internal transcribed spacer sequencing
Rene Nieves-Morales1, Jessica Alejandra Paez-Diaz1, Edwin Omar Rivera-Lopez2
1Department of Biology, Microbial Biotechnology and Bioprospecting Laboratory, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, USA.
Microbiology Resource Announcements
|May 22, 2025
Abstract:
Cave ecosystems harbor unique and diverse microbial ecology, with fungal communities playing important roles. This study utilizes internal transcribed spacer across seven caves in the northern limestone karst belt area of Puerto Rico to investigate fungal composition. This enhances scientific understanding of subterranean microbial dynamics and supports conservation efforts.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Fungal Phylum Microsporidia
782
Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
782
01:19Methods to Assess Microbial Communities
60
Microbial communities, comprising bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotic microorganisms, inhabit diverse ecosystems and play crucial roles in environmental and biological processes. Their diversity is defined by three main parameters: species richness (the number of distinct species), species abundance (the relative quantity of each species), and species evenness (how uniformly individual species are distributed in various locations). These factors together shape the structure and ecological balance...
60