MO: Kartchner Caverns: Habitat Scale Community Structure and Function in Carbonate Caves

这个NSF微生物观测站（MO）的主题是亚利桑那州本森的Kartchner洞穴，就矿物和洞穴形成多样性而言，它是世界上十大碳酸盐洞穴之一。 在被发现之前，地下洞穴是古老的、脆弱的、营养不良的、孤立的系统，与周围环境几乎没有联系。 一旦发现，如果没有适当的管理，对这些系统的损害可能是不可逆转的。 科学家们对洞穴很感兴趣，因为它们可能藏有未被发现的和新的微生物，而且这些绝缘系统缺乏光线，也可能藏有独特的微生物活动。 对于普通公众来说，洞穴拥有迷人而美丽的构造，这些构造引起了人们对科学和保护独特而脆弱的生态系统的兴趣。 Kartchner Caverns MO的目标是：1）使用培养方法和先进的分子工具来分析DNA特征，鉴定与洞穴不同部分相关的新生物，包括地层，墙壁和泥浆，2）构建完整的DNA（宏基因组）文库和数据库，用于将特定DNA序列与洞穴环境中的微生物活动（例如，参与创造地层），3）检查微生物群落如何在洞穴中的限定碳梯度上变化，以帮助确定旅游业如何带来大量的额外有机碳（例如，皮棉、毛发、皮肤细胞）对洞穴产生了影响，以及4）分析由地层相关微生物产生的肥皂样分子（生物表面活性剂），并将它们的贡献纳入地层生长过程的建模中。 对洞穴系统生物学的基本了解，一般来说，是缺乏的。 这是对这些独特而脆弱的生态系统的可持续公共发展的一个主要障碍。 因此，这项研究的范围是及时和全面的洞穴微生物多样性的研究。 该项目的更广泛影响包括建立微生物和DNA（宏基因组）库，其中包括迄今为止最详细的表面特定洞穴收藏。 这些图书馆将提供深入了解的选择力，推动地下营养缺乏的存在微生物生物学。 这些图书馆还将广泛用于筛选和数据挖掘，以促进生物技术和生物医学应用。 这些研究沿着不同的梯度（无机和有机碳）将深入了解环境因素如何影响相关的微生物群落以及洞穴系统的健康和稳定性。 最后，将生物表面活性剂生产纳入地层开发模型是了解微生物对地层生长贡献的第一步。 总之，该MO将为洞穴微生物学的当代研究的进步建立一个世界范围的资源，并为全球洞穴和洞穴构造的保护提供有价值的工具。 这一MO的更广泛影响远远超出了研究。 教育影响包括博士后，研究生和本科生的培训，以准备在现代微生物学方法的新一代科学家，以解决在洞穴保护和微生物多样性在其他脆弱，独特的环境当代挑战。 外联工作每年将影响数十万人，包括：（i）为公园人员和导赏员举办卡契纳洞穴周年讲座系列，介绍微生物学的背景知识，并介绍计划的最新进展和研究结果，然后向公园访客介绍（~ 200，000/年），（ii）为Kartchner教育中心提供高质量的互动展示，为公园游客提供了解洞穴微生物学的独特机会，MO和最近的调查结果，（iii）由亚利桑那大学全国知名的PBS附属机构KUAT制作高清DVD，突出MO项目及其在了解Kartchner洞穴微生物多样性方面的作用，（iv）针对7-12年级的亚利桑那州立公园教育课程开发模块，及（v）一个Kartchner Caverns MO网站，与Kartchner Caverns网站及Kartchner Caverns之友网站互相连结（这些网站每月的点击量合共超过5万次）。

The subject of this NSF Microbial Observatory (MO) is Kartchner Caverns in Benson, Arizona, one of the top ten carbonate caves in the world in terms of mineral and cave formation diversity. Until they are discovered, underground caves are ancient, fragile, nutrient-poor, and isolated systems with little or no connection to surrounding environments. Upon discovery and without proper management, damage to these systems can be irreversible. Scientifically, caves are of interest because it is likely they harbor undiscovered and novel microorganisms and because these insulated systems are devoid of light, and may harbor unique microbial activities as well. For the general public, caves harbor fascinating and beautiful formations that generate interest in science and the preservation of unique and fragile ecosystems. The objectives of the Kartchner Caverns MO are: 1) to identify novel organisms associated with different parts of the cave including formations, walls, and mud using both culture methods and advanced molecular tools to analyze DNA signatures, 2) to construct a complete DNA (metagenomic) library and database for correlating specific DNA sequences with microbial activities in the cave environment (e.g., participation in creating the formations), 3) to examine how microbial communities change across defined carbon gradients in the cave to help define how tourism, which brings in substantial amounts of extra organic carbon (e.g., lint, hair, skin cells), has impacted the cave, and 4) to analyze soap-like molecules (biosurfactants) produced by formation-associated microorganisms and incorporate their contributions into modeling the growth process of the formations. Fundamental understanding of the biology of cave systems, in general, is lacking. This is a major impediment to sustainable public development of these unique and delicate ecosystems. Thus, the scope of this research is both timely and comprehensive in regard to the study of cave microbial diversity. The broader impacts of this project include the establishment of both microbial and DNA (metagenomic) libraries that will comprise the most detailed, surface-specific cave collections to date. These libraries will provide insights into the selective forces that drive the microbial biology of subterranean nutrient-deprived existence. The libraries will also be made widely available for screening and data mining for biotechnological and biomedical applications. The studies along various gradients (inorganic and organic carbon) will provide insight into how environmental factors impact the associated microbial communities and the attendant health and stability of the cave system. Finally, the integration of biosurfactant production into models of formation development represents one of the first efforts to understand microbial contributions to formation growth. In summary, this MO will establish a world-wide resource for the advancement of contemporary research on cave microbiology and provide valuable tools for the global preservation of caves and cave formations. The broader impacts of this MO go far beyond research. Educational impacts include training of post-doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students to prepare a new generation of scientists in modern microbiological methods to address contemporary challenges in cave conservation and microbial diversity in other fragile, unique environments. Outreach efforts will impact several hundred thousand people per year and include: (i) an annual Kartchner Caverns lecture series for Park personnel and docents to provide a microbiology background and an update on project progress and findings which will then be passed on to Park visitors (~200,000/year), (ii) a high-quality interactive display for the Kartchner Educational Center to provide Park visitors a unique opportunity to learn about cave microbiology, the MO, and recent findings, (iii) production of a high-definition DVD by the University of Arizona nationally acclaimed PBS affiliate, KUAT, that highlights the MO project and its role in understanding microbial diversity in Kartchner Caverns, (iv) development of a module for Arizona State Parks educational curriculum that is targeted at grades 7-12, and (v) a Kartchner Caverns MO website with reciprocal links to the Kartchner Caverns website and the Friends of Kartchner Cavern website (together, these websites receive over 50K hits monthly).