Microbial communities of biofilms in the Shulgan-Tash Cave in the Southern Ural

The goal of our research was to investigate the morphological diversity and distribution of microbial biofilms on the walls of the Shulgan-Tash cave, determine the taxonomic composition of the microbial communities, and identify the factors contributing to the abundant bacterial colonization in specific sections of the cave. We conducted an analysis to understand how environmental factors, including microclimatic parameters, distance from the entrance, and chemical composition of substrates, influenced the taxonomic and metabolic characteristics of the biofilms under investigation.