Halophilic Microbe Counts from Rock Surfaces in the Bochnia Salt Mine

Approximately 1.2×10³ to 4.3×10³ CFU/25 cm² of halophilic microorganisms were found on rock surfaces in the Bochnia Salt Mine. Magdalena Kowalewicz-Kulbat collected surface swabs from rock salt and salty claystone at three sites during summer and winter, analyzing them with cultivation and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The data, last updated in April 2026, identifies 11 halophilic archaeal species and suggests rock surfaces act as reservoirs for airborne communities.

Use Cases

• Modeling microbial reservoir dynamics based on seasonal abundance data mentioned in the description
• Comparing halophilic community composition between rock and air based on the identified archaeal taxa
• Studying environmental gradients on microbial populations based on sampling across distance from the mine entrance
• Analyzing the habitat preference of Halococcus species based on their dominance in the surface communities

Strengths

• Provides quantitative microbial counts (CFU/25 cm²) for both halophilic and non-halophilic groups
• Includes seasonal comparison with mean abundances of 3.8×10³ CFU in summer and 1.4×10³ CFU in winter
• Identifies 11 specific halophilic archaeal species, dominated by members of the genus Halococcus
• Sampling design covers three sites, two rock types, and two contrasting seasons

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download

Provenance

Source

Magdalena Kowalewicz-Kulbat

Collection Method

Surface swabs collected from rock salt and salty claystone, analyzed using cultivation-based methods combined with 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Time Range

Sampling conducted during summer and winter seasons.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04 22 05:46:33; freshness should be verified

Geography

Bochnia Salt Mine in southern Poland.