Microbiological study of the dripping waters in Altamira cave (Santillana del Mar, Spain). |
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Authors: | L Laiz I Groth I Gonzalez C Saiz-Jimenez |
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Institution: | Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiologia, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain. |
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Abstract: | The culturable microbial populations in dripping waters from Altamira cave were studied and compared with those of the ceiling rock. Water communities have low proportions of gram-positive bacteria, and are mainly composed of gram-negative rods and cocci (Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae), while those of ceiling rocks are mainly Streptomyces spp. The community differences are probably related to environmental cave conditions: high humidity, relatively low and stable temperature, water pH close to neutrality and nature of the organic matter. All these factors seem to favor colonization and long-term growth of actinomycetes over other heterotrophic bacteria on ceiling rocks. |
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