Fungi are irreplaceable symbionts, drivers of ecological balance, and decomposers that enable the cycling of matter and energy. The biodiversity of fungi is measured in millions of species, but less than 10% of their total number is known to science. The Dinaric Karst is one of the most important karst regions in the world in terms of biodiversity and hydrology, where fungi are poorly studied. This area is particularly important for the preservation of drinking water resources, the quality of which is significantly influenced by the organisms living there. Permanent darkness, high humidity, and steady temperature make caves natural laboratories in which fungi are exposed to selection pressures that lead to diverse adaptation mechanisms. Therefore, we assume that these fungi have exceptional bioindicator and bioprospecting potential. This is the first systematic study of fungi in the Dinaric Karst involving interdisciplinary research in the scope: cave ecosystem - total fungal biodiversity - fungal organisms - bioindicators - secondary metabolite profiling - biological potential. The objectives of the project are to explore the biodiversity of cave fungi and to ascertain their ecological and biogeographical characteristics. In addition, the biological activity of their extracts will be tested for the selected fungal species, a profile of secondary metabolites will be established, and chemical characterisation of the potentially bioactive compounds will be carried out. The research will be conducted in hydrologically active cave systems in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Mediterranean, Alpine, and Continental ecoregions, in five different geo-tectonic units and all ecological niches. The expected results will make an important contribution to the knowledge of biodiversity and ecological relationships in the karst underground and give insight into the bioactive potential of cave fungi, with the aim of providing guidelines for future biotechnological research.

Scientific research objectives of the project:

1. Explore the biodiversity of cave fungi in selected cave systems in the Dinarides region
2. Determine the DNA barcodes of known and potentially new species of cave fungi
3. Ascertain the ecological and biogeographical characteristics of cave fungi by studying selected cave systems in the Dinarides
4. Determine the biological activity of cave fungi extracts, perform profiling of secondary metabolites, and chemical characterisation of potentially bioactive ingredients
5. Enhance the scientific research potential of the Laboratory for Biological Diversity and the Ruđer Bošković Institute

The research is organized into three work packages:

1. Biodiversity of cave fungi
2. Ecology and biogeography of cave fungi
3. The bioactive potential of selected cave fungi

Project associates:

Neven Matočec, dr. sc. Ana Pošta, dr. sc. Olga Malev, dr. sc. Maja Galić Perečinec, dr. sc. Krunoslav Bojanić, mr. sc. Roman Ozimec, dr. sc. Petra Kovač Konrad, prof. dr. sc. Lada Lukić Bilela, dr. sc. Iva Habinovec