Microbial diversity of soil from bat hibernacula

Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), the causative fungal agent of White-nose Syndrome (WNS), has led to the deaths of millions of hibernating bats in the United States. Efficient strategies are needed to decontaminate Pd from the bats hibernacula to interrupt the disease transmission cycle without affecting native microbes. Previously, we discovered a novel Trichoderma polysporum (Tp) strain (WPM 39143), which inhibited the growth of Pd in autoclaved soil samples. A culture based approach showed that Tp caused 100% inhibition of Pd in natural soil samples obtained from two WNS-infested bat hibernacula: Aeolus Cave (AC) and Barton Hill Mine (BHM). Metagenomic analysis of the microbial soil communities for both hibernacula corroborated the fact that Pd abundance was significantly reduced by the presence of Tp. Additionally, microbial community structure and diversity was largely unaffected in Tp treated soil samples from AC and BHM. These findings provide the scientific rationale for the field trials of Tp in the WNS-affected hibernacula for the effective decontamination of Pd and control of WNS without affecting the microbiome of bat hibernacula.