Microbial communities in gypsum caves and soils of karst landscapes in Arkhangelsk oblast

Microbial communities of actively developing karst caves, which are closely connected with the surface, differ from microbial communities of soils formed above the caves. Significant differences are found in the structure of these microbial communities, whereas their species composition remains approximately the same both in the caves and in the soils. Specific physical and climatic conditions, discrete character of substrates, and the absence of competition between species in cave habitats cause the replacement of dominants by rare species and the prevalence of oligotrophic and psychrotolerant forms.