Average well color development data for water samples from six locations within the historic section of Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

Water samples were collected from six cave locations where Actinobacterial mats appeared to be plentiful. Community-level physiological capabilities were evaluated using Biolog-Ecolog plates inoculated with cave water dosed with 0 or 0.10 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of erythromycin. The data were transformed into average well color development (AWCD). The transformation is done by subtracting the background color development (blank controls) and then averaging the three color readings of the same treatment on the same Biolog EcoPlate. Each EcoPlate has three replicates of 31 different substrates (potential bacterial food) that the microbial community can potentially metabolize and thereby transform a clear dye into blue color. The color transformation is measured using a spectrophotometric plate reader at 595 nanometer wavelength. The readings take place every 24 hours over a 5-day period. As noted earlier, we compensate for background color by taking readings from three blank wells containing no substrate, just dye and bacteria. The AWCD for each site and 24-hour reading is reported in this data release.