The fungal communities of the "Fiume Coperto" sulfurous cave waters.

Within the biospeleological and ecological researches carried out in the Fiume Coperto Cave, investigation on fungal community of sulfurous water has been carried out in three different period (21/12/2000, 25/5/2001, 28/10/2001). The cave is located about 100 km south of Rome on the slope of Lepini Mountains (Italy) and it is open at 21 m a.s.l. with an horizontal development of 170 m. In the cave the sulfurous river water (H2S 7 mg l-1) forms a series of small lakes, which differ in width and deepness. The surface of the water is largely covered by a viscose matrix (“mat”), composed by sulfide-oxiding and methano bacteria, similar to those observed in the Movile cave (Romania). Samples of water were collected at different level of three lakes. This study allow us to identify 45 taxa belonging to 20 genera. The data were analyzed with classification (cluster analysis) and ordination (Principal Coordinates Analysis) methods using SIN-TAX 5.0. The results show peculiar associations related to the different lake samples and periods investigated. The distribution of the species inside the cave and ecology of the fungal community are discussed.