Unravelling the hidden diversity of cave mycobiota in Thailand’s Satun Geopark

Suetrong, Satinee; Preedanon, Sita; Kobmoo, Noppol; Srihom, Charisa; Somrithipol, Sayanh; Saengkaewsuk, Supicha; Srikitikulchai, Prasert; Klaysuban, Anupong; Nuankaew, Salilaporn; Chuaseeharonnachai, Charuwan; Chainuwong, Boonchuai; Muangsong, Chotika; Malimart, Kittapha; Rungjindamai, Nattawut; Siripornpibul, Chaiyaporn; Chareonkunnatum, Umapon; Ploydam, Bumrungrat; Thungprue, Narongrit; Tongsima, Sissades; Zhang, Zhi Feng

doi:10.1038/s41598-023-43316-2

Unravelling the hidden diversity of cave mycobiota in Thailand’s Satun Geopark

Author(s)

Suetrong, Satinee

Preedanon, Sita

Kobmoo, Noppol

Srihom, Charisa

Somrithipol, Sayanh

Saengkaewsuk, Supicha

Srikitikulchai, Prasert

Klaysuban, Anupong

Nuankaew, Salilaporn

Chuaseeharonnachai, Charuwan

Chainuwong, Boonchuai

Muangsong, Chotika

Malimart, Kittapha

Rungjindamai, Nattawut

Siripornpibul, Chaiyaporn

Chareonkunnatum, Umapon

Ploydam, Bumrungrat

Thungprue, Narongrit

Tongsima, Sissades

Zhang, Zhi Feng

Cai, Lei

Boonyuen, Nattawut

Date Issued

December 1, 2023

Type

Article

DOI

10.1038/s41598-023-43316-2

Abstract

Karst caves are distinctive ecosystems that have limited nutrients, darkness, low to moderate temperatures, and high moisture levels, which allow for a diverse range of fungal communities to thrive. Despite their significance, little is understood about the fungi found in karst caves in Thailand. In 2019, we studied the cultured mycobiota from five substrate types (air, water, rock, soil/sediment, and organic debris) in two karst caves (Le Stegodon and Phu Pha Phet Caves) of the Satun UNESCO Global Geopark, southern Thailand. A cumulative count of 829 distinct fungal morphological types was identified, encompassing 319 fungal culturable were observed. Based on preliminary analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence using BLAST searches, the most common phylum among the fungal morphotypes was Ascomycota, harboring 282 species in 91 genera, 93.4% of which were distributed in the classes Eurotiomycetes, Sordariomycetes, and Dothideomycetes. The most common fungal genera identified in the two karst caves were Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Talaromyces, Xylaria, and Trichoderma, with 45, 41, 24, 14, 14, and 6 species identified, respectively. Discovering fungi in Thai karst caves highlights the extensive fungal diversity in the Satun UNESCO Global Geopark, implying undiscovered species, and emphasizing the need for comprehensive investigations in other unexplored Thai karst caves.

Citation

Scientific Reports, 13(1), 2023