부산대학교 도서관

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a devastating disease to the bat population in North America. The fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, causes bats to come out of torpor early in the winter, expending crucial energy stores and resulting in the death of up to 99% of some bat species. A new method of UV-C treatment has been shown to be effective in killing Pseudogymnoascus destructans. However, caves are home to a wide range of microbial communities that may be harmed by UV-C. The aim of this experiment is to investigate if this treatment will have potential collateral damage to native cave bacterial species. Samples were taken from caves across three national parks, sub-cultured in the lab and resulting isolates will be exposed to UV-C treatment. Initial cultures from Lava Beds National Monument, Oregon Caves National Monument, and Mammoth Caves National Park, have resulted in 2,721 subcultures currently under investigation. Sequencing of the 16S rDNA gene is being used to identify a maximum of 100 unique bacterial cultures per national park for UV-C testing in the lab. Understanding the potential negative implications of UV-C on native microbial cave ecosystems is crucial before this treatment can be considered for wider implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]