Myxobacteria in cave sediments of the French Jura Mountains

In cave sediments of the French Jura Mountains four Myxobacteria species co uld be identified: Myxococcus fulvus, Corallococcus coralloides, Archangium gephyra and Myxococcus virescens. Aquatic habitats reveal higher Myxobacte ria counts and increased diversity than terrestrial habitats. A. gephyra an d M. virescens were promoted by aquatic conditions. C. coralloides predomin ates in surface-near subterraneous sediments, whereas M. fulvus predominate s in zones with increased depth. The sediment texture influenced the distri bution of species. The data allow a comparison of karst systems in Europe. A high correlation was found between the average number of Myxobacteria spe cies and the average subterranean temperature. The ecological valence and t he cardinal temperatures of the species most likely control this. Myxobacte ria possibly play a role in the control of subterraneous biofilm growth.