Pathogen pollution in caves — reasons and methods for prevention
Competition
Competition for financial support for projects of junior basic researchers and postdocs — 2025
Main scientific field or thematic area
Biology
Title and abstract of the project
Pathogen pollution in caves — reasons and methods for prevention
Pathogen pollution is the introduction of a pathogen to a new or naive host species or population, often resulting in a severe epidemic. It is notoriously exemplified by white nose disease (WND) in hibernating bats that has taken several million victims in North America. Its causative agent, the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) was introduced from Europe, where it is not associated with significant morbidity or mortality. The introduction was most probably mediated by cavers as Pd is known to survive for a long time in the cave substrate, which in turn easily sticks to caving clothes and equipment. Although the current Pd outbrake cannot be reversed, it is of crucial importance to apply the lessons learnt from the epidemic. In particular, a sister species of Pd (called Pd2) was recently found in Europe, that has different bat host preferences, thus it can trigger a new WND wave if spread between continents. Additionally, cave host hundreds of microbial species, some of which may be also opportunistically pathogenic, being benevolent and their native place and malevolent if introduced elsewhere. To be able to prevent such introduction, it is important to quantify human potential to spread microbes within and between caves. Existing research on the subject has been almost exclusively conducted in touristic caves, focusing on the identification of human pathogens, ancient painting preservation, and more rarely, human disturbance of microbial communities within caves. No research so far has quantified human potential to spread microbes, different from Pd, between caves. This knowledge is necessary for the improvement of filed hygiene practises in caving and cave research and thus for cave pathogen pollution prevention; thus obtaining it is the goal of the current project.
Type of the planned research
Fundamental
Organization
National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Coordinator of the research team
Dr. Violeta Zhelyazkova
Tsar Osvoboditel 1 Blvd., Sofia
Team members
Dr. Stanimira Deleva
Dr. Angel Ivanov
Dr. Jordan Hodzhev
Stela-Teodora Trendafilova
Dr. Julie Shapiro
Requested total budget for accomplishment of the project
30 677,51 euro
Description of expected results
The project will expand knowledge about the anthropogenic impact on fungal and bacterial communities in caves in relation to the frequency of speleological visits and the nature of human activities. This will provide indications of the resilience of underground ecosystems to external influences and of the potential need to implement measures to reduce them. A particularly important contribution of the study will be the metagenomic analysis of samples collected from the caving equipment of expedition participants, which will be conducted for the first time worldwide. This will provide information on the proportion of the total fungal and bacterial diversity in a cave that can adhere to human equipment and thus be transferred to another cave. The results will represent the most direct evidence possible of the anthropogenic role in the pathogenic contamination of underground ecosystems and will provide a solid theoretical basis for the development of effective conservation measures, including the prevention of the introduction of Pd2 outside Europe.
Results achieved from the implementation of the project by stages
List of scientific publications related to the project, with links to the publications on the website of the journal in which they were published
Internet link to publicly available scientific data, where applicable
Other information related to the project, such as proposals for industrial or other socially beneficial applications of the results
Competition for financial support for projects of junior basic researchers and postdocs — 2025
Main scientific field or thematic area
Biology
Title and abstract of the project
Pathogen pollution in caves — reasons and methods for prevention
Pathogen pollution is the introduction of a pathogen to a new or naive host species or population, often resulting in a severe epidemic. It is notoriously exemplified by white nose disease (WND) in hibernating bats that has taken several million victims in North America. Its causative agent, the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) was introduced from Europe, where it is not associated with significant morbidity or mortality. The introduction was most probably mediated by cavers as Pd is known to survive for a long time in the cave substrate, which in turn easily sticks to caving clothes and equipment. Although the current Pd outbrake cannot be reversed, it is of crucial importance to apply the lessons learnt from the epidemic. In particular, a sister species of Pd (called Pd2) was recently found in Europe, that has different bat host preferences, thus it can trigger a new WND wave if spread between continents. Additionally, cave host hundreds of microbial species, some of which may be also opportunistically pathogenic, being benevolent and their native place and malevolent if introduced elsewhere. To be able to prevent such introduction, it is important to quantify human potential to spread microbes within and between caves. Existing research on the subject has been almost exclusively conducted in touristic caves, focusing on the identification of human pathogens, ancient painting preservation, and more rarely, human disturbance of microbial communities within caves. No research so far has quantified human potential to spread microbes, different from Pd, between caves. This knowledge is necessary for the improvement of filed hygiene practises in caving and cave research and thus for cave pathogen pollution prevention; thus obtaining it is the goal of the current project.
Type of the planned research
Fundamental
Organization
National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Coordinator of the research team
Dr. Violeta Zhelyazkova
Tsar Osvoboditel 1 Blvd., Sofia
Team members
Dr. Stanimira Deleva
Dr. Angel Ivanov
Dr. Jordan Hodzhev
Stela-Teodora Trendafilova
Dr. Julie Shapiro
Requested total budget for accomplishment of the project
30 677,51 euro
Description of expected results
The project will expand knowledge about the anthropogenic impact on fungal and bacterial communities in caves in relation to the frequency of speleological visits and the nature of human activities. This will provide indications of the resilience of underground ecosystems to external influences and of the potential need to implement measures to reduce them. A particularly important contribution of the study will be the metagenomic analysis of samples collected from the caving equipment of expedition participants, which will be conducted for the first time worldwide. This will provide information on the proportion of the total fungal and bacterial diversity in a cave that can adhere to human equipment and thus be transferred to another cave. The results will represent the most direct evidence possible of the anthropogenic role in the pathogenic contamination of underground ecosystems and will provide a solid theoretical basis for the development of effective conservation measures, including the prevention of the introduction of Pd2 outside Europe.
Results achieved from the implementation of the project by stages
List of scientific publications related to the project, with links to the publications on the website of the journal in which they were published
Internet link to publicly available scientific data, where applicable
Other information related to the project, such as proposals for industrial or other socially beneficial applications of the results