title: Comparison of Bacterial Diversity in Azorean and Hawai'ian Lava Cave Microbial Mats.
abstract: Worldwide, lava caves host colorful microbial mats. However, little is known about the diversity of these microorganisms, or what role they may play in the subsurface ecosystem. White and yellow microbial mats were collected from four lava caves each on the Azorean island of Terceira and the Big Island of Hawai'i, to compare the bacterial diversity found in lava caves from two widely separated archipelagos in two different oceans at different latitudes. Scanning electron microscopy of mat samples showed striking similarities between Terceira and Hawai'ian microbial morphologies. 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were constructed to determine the diversity within these lava caves. Fifteen bacterial phyla were found across the samples, with moreActinobacteriaclones in Hawai'ian communities and greater numbers ofAcidobacteriaclones in Terceira communities. Bacterial diversity in the subsurface was correlated with a set of factors. Geographical location was the major contributor to differences in community composition (at the OTU level), together with differences in the amounts of organic carbon, nitrogen and copper available in the lava rock that forms the cave. These results reveal, for the first time, the similarity among the extensive bacterial diversity found in lava caves in two geographically separate locations and contribute to the current debate on the nature of microbial biogeography.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Marshall Hathaway
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
authors.forename: Monica Moya
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Balasch
authors.affiliation: Institute of Meteoritics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
authors.forename: Michael N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Spilde
authors.affiliation: University of Hawai'i at Hilo, Hilo, Hawai'i and Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA.
authors.forename: Fred D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.affiliation: Food Technology Group, CITA-A, Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias, Rua Capitão João d'Ávila, São Pedro, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria DE Lurdes N E
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Dapkevicius
authors.affiliation: Food Technology Group, CITA-A, Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias, Rua Capitão João d'Ávila, São Pedro, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Portugal; Azorean Biodiversity Group (GBA, CITA-A) and Portuguese Platform for Enhancing Ecological Research and Sustainability (PEERS), Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias, Rua Capitão João d'Ávila, São Pedro, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Portugal.
authors.forename: Isabel R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Amorim
authors.affiliation: Azorean Biodiversity Group (GBA, CITA-A) and Portuguese Platform for Enhancing Ecological Research and Sustainability (PEERS), Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias, Rua Capitão João d'Ávila, São Pedro, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rosalina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gabriel
authors.affiliation: Azorean Biodiversity Group (GBA, CITA-A) and Portuguese Platform for Enhancing Ecological Research and Sustainability (PEERS), Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias, Rua Capitão João d'Ávila, São Pedro, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Portugal.
authors.forename: Paulo A V
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
authors.forename: Diana E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Northup
keywords: Azores; Hawai’i; lava cave; microbial communities