2024/02/01 by Olga De Castro, Mariano Avino, Federica Carraturo +7 · 1 voice
Environmental Science · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology #Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies #Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/1758-2229.13241
openalex publication_date 2024/02/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Abstract The Ansanto Valley's Mefite, one of the Earth's largest non‐volcanic CO 2 gas emissions, is distinguished by its cold natural carbon dioxide springs. These emissions originate from the intricate tectonics and geodynamics of the southern Apennines in Italy. Known for over two millennia for its lethal concentration of CO 2 and other harmful gases, the Mefite has a reputation for being toxic and dangerous. Despite its historical significance and unique geological features, there is a lack of information on the microbial diversity associated with the Mefite's gas emissions. This study presents an integrated exploration of the microbial diversity in the mud soil, using high‐throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA (Prokaryotes) and ITS2 (Fungi), alongside a geochemical site characterisation. Our findings reveal that the Mefite's unique environment imposes a significant bottleneck on microbial diversity, favouring a select few microbial groups such as Actinobacteria and Firmicutes for Prokaryotes, and Basidiomycota for Fungi.