![]() ![]() ![]() This is heightened by the fact that the vast majority of true thermophiles (T opt > 60 ☌) do not possess spores. Despite the fact that active thermophilic microorganisms were found hundreds and thousands of kilometers away from hydrothermal sites, indicating that at least some of them can bear the cold and oxygenated environments for a long time, it seems that the majority of thermophilic cells have a considerably lower probability to survive under conditions of dehydration (on a surface) or at low temperatures. In this context, extremophilic microorganisms, which are extremely resistant to stress, but grow only in harsh environmental conditions, are of particular interest. The commonly accepted hypothesis “everything is everywhere” may not be entirely true for microorganisms living in isolated habitats like caves, high altitude areas, or underground reservoirs, as opposed to environments mixed actively by air or water currents. Although its relevance is a subject of scientific debates, geographical location is another factor determining the microbial communities of hot springs with similar parameters. Although temperature and pH are considered to be the main factors that shape the structure of thermophilic microbial communities, chemical composition of thermal water and sediments also play an important role, defining the energy flow and biogeochemical cycles, and driving the microbial communities. Geothermal areas are unique habitats in which extremophilic microbial realms actively function, carrying out diverse metabolic processes. Our study represents a first glance on the thermophilic microbial communities of the North Caucasus and may serve as a basis for further microbiological studies of the extreme habitats of this region. In addition, we were able to identify a significant number of highly abundant deep phylogenetic lineages. Analysis of correlations between the chemical composition of water and the representation of key taxa allowed us to identify the key factors determining the formation of microbial communities. Using 16S metabarcoding, we analyzed the composition of the microbial communities of two subterranean thermal aquifers and terrestrial hot springs of the Karmadon valley. In this work, we present first culture-independent study of hydrotherms in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, located in the southern part of the North Caucasus. Moreover, all these reports concern only studies of specific microbial taxa, carried out using classical cultivation approaches. However, there are only a limited number of scientific works reporting on the microbial communities of these habitats. That led to the formation of the number of hydrothermal habitats, including subterranean thermal aquifers and surface hot springs. The Greater Caucasus is a part of seismically active Alpine–Himalayan orogenic belt and has been a center of significant volcanic activity during the Quaternary period. ![]()
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