141-10 Where the Wild Things Heal: Linking Subsurface Geology to Microbial Ecology and Bioactive Potential in Kentucky Caves

Session: New Advances in Geobiology

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Abstract:

Microorganisms that inhabit extreme environments, such as oligotrophic caves, represent a largely untapped reservoir of bioactive compounds with medical and economic potential. Although geological influences on microbial communities and metabolism are well-studied in caves, that research has largely focused on mineralogy, geochemistry, and community structure, with no investigations directly linking geological processes to bioactive metabolite production. This study integrates geology, microbiology, and metabolomics to investigate the relationship between subsurface conditions and microbial biosynthetic potential. Water, sediment, and cave wall surfaces were sampled from six oligotrophic cave environments in Kentucky, USA. Microbial communities are being isolated and sequenced using 16S, 18S, and ITS rRNA to assess alpha diversity (microbial richness within a sample site) and beta diversity (community differences between sites). Additionally, metabolites are being extracted and identified to characterize the spectrum of bioactive compounds associated with each microbial population, with a focus on compounds relevant to medicine, bioremediation, and biomining. To contextualize microbial patterns, atmospheric and environmental data (temperature, relative humidity, and concentrations of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and radon) were collected, and geochemical analyses will be conducted to quantify major and trace elements in the local substrates. This interdisciplinary approach will allow us to examine how environmental stressors and geological conditions influence microbial composition and biosynthetic activity. This is the first statewide study to systematically link earth system processes to microbial ecology and bioactive compound production in cave systems. Ongoing work expands sampling across additional Kentucky caves to build a more comprehensive view of the Commonwealth’s geomicrobial and metabolite landscape. All findings are being integrated into an open-access, interactive, and evolving microbiome map—the first of its kind—to support future research, identify high-priority sites for novel compound discovery, track potential pathogens, and inform public health decisions.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-7430

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