## 4 Discussion
_L. musarium_ presence in the caves may be supported by its psychrotolerance, with the ability of some strains isolated from Antarctica to propagate even at 0 \({}^{\circ}\)C. Facilitation of the development in harsh conditions may be also due to the activity of lytic enzymes, degrading various substrates like chitin [93]. Another cold-adapted species isolated in the present study is _Oidiodendron truncatum_. We also found its presence during our earlier aeromycological study in the Brestovska Cave [1]. According to some reports, this species was also found in cave soil in Russia and in air samples from Czech Republic caves [14,94]. An important entomopathogen that can inhabit the cave environment is _Paecilomyces farinosus_ (current name: _Cordyceps farinosa_ (Holmsk.) [PERSON], [PERSON] 2017; basionym: _Ramaria farinosa_ [PERSON]. 1781; obligate synonyms: _Isaria farinosa_ (Holmsk.) [PERSON], 1832, _Spicaria farinosa_ (Holmsk.) [PERSON], 1911, _Clavaria farinosa_ (Holmsk.) [PERSON], 1790, _Corynoides farinosa_ (Holmsk.) [PERSON] 1821 and _Penicillium farinosum_ (Holmsk.) [PERSON] 1923) [44,59]. Although it is distributed globally, the cave isolates were found mainly in Europe, and cave soil samples that contained this species were obtained from Slovakia and Italy [14,95]. Among soilborne fungi, _Trichoderma atroviidae_ was isolated from the soil and sediment of the Brestovska Cave, which is consistent with previous information about fungi inhabiting other Slovak caves [14]. _Trichosporella cerebiformis_ (basionym: _Sporotrichum cerebirforme_ [PERSON] and [PERSON] 1957) [48] is also a species that could be found in soil, with some adaptations to cold environments since it had been isolated from Arctic tundra [96]. Cave soil isolates of this species have been found in the Brestovska Cave but also in caves of the Czech Republic and Russia [14]. Four isolates of Mucormycota phylum were obtained from the soil and sediment of the Brestovska Cave. _Ambomucor seritaoinflatus_ was previously isolated from soil samples from Mongolia, China, and Alaska (with low prevalence); however, this is its first occurrence in the cave ecosystems [97; 98]. Moreover, three species of the _Mortierella_ genus were found in our study. _Mortierella elongate_ (current name: _Linnemannnia elongata_ ([PERSON].) [PERSON] and Bonito 2020) [43; 61] is one of the most prevalent fungi found in soil, with various adaptations to harsh environmental conditions, like low temperatures [99; 100]. On the other hand, cave ecosystems are rarely inhabited by this species. Besides the Brestovska Cave, it was isolated only from caves in Belgium and from insect samples [14]. _M. hyalina_ (current name: _Linnemannnia hyalina_ (Harz) Vandepol and Bonito 2020; basionym: _Hydrohora hyalina_ Harz 1871) [61] exhibits higher prevalence in cave ecosystems, having been previously isolated from caves in the Czech Republic and Great Britain [14]. On the other hand, the third species--_M. minutissima_ (current name: _Podila minutissima_ ([PERSON].) Vandepol and Bonito 2020) [39]--had never been reported in caves until now. This species was frequently isolated from soil, decaying plant and animal tissues, or fecal matter; however, due to its psychrotolerant nature, it could be adapted to the cold cave environment [101; 102]. The sole species of the Basidiomycota phylum isolated from Brestovska Cave soil and sediment samples is _Tusonia pullulans_ (basionym: _Oidium pullulans_ [PERSON] 1901; obligate synonyms: _Basidiotrichospor pullulans_ ([PERSON]) 1977, _Monilia pullulans_ ([PERSON]) [PERSON] 1924, _Ospora pullulans_ ([PERSON]) [PERSON]. 1906, _Trichospor pullulans_ ([PERSON]) 1942 and _Guelomyces pullulans_ ([PERSON]) [PERSON] and [PERSON] 2004) [57]. This yeast is commonly found in plant material and soil samples and is considered a psychrotolerant, with a set of produced cold-active enzymes, such as lignin-degrading enzymes or lipases. It also harbors a collection of hydrolytic enzymes, whose activities provide nutrients for fungal growth from various substrates [103; 104].