Microbiology: lessons from a first attempt at Lake Ellsworth
During the attempt to directly access, measure and sample Subglacial Lake Ellsworth in 2012–2013, we conducted microbiological analyses of the drilling equipment, scientific instrumentation, field camp and natural surroundings. From these studies, a number of lessons can be learned about the cleanli...
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crroyalsociety:10.1098/rsta.2014.0291 2024-06-02T07:56:53+00:00 Microbiology: lessons from a first attempt at Lake Ellsworth Pearce, D. A. Magiopoulos, I. Mowlem, M. Tranter, M. Holt, G. Woodward, J. Siegert, M. J. NERC SLE consortium 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2014.0291 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsta.2014.0291 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsta.2014.0291 en eng The Royal Society https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences volume 374, issue 2059, page 20140291 ISSN 1364-503X 1471-2962 journal-article 2016 crroyalsociety https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2014.0291 2024-05-07T14:16:29Z During the attempt to directly access, measure and sample Subglacial Lake Ellsworth in 2012–2013, we conducted microbiological analyses of the drilling equipment, scientific instrumentation, field camp and natural surroundings. From these studies, a number of lessons can be learned about the cleanliness of deep Antarctic subglacial lake access leading to, in particular, knowledge of the limitations of some of the most basic relevant microbiological principles. Here, we focus on five of the core challenges faced and describe how cleanliness and sterilization were implemented in the field. In the light of our field experiences, we consider how effective these actions were, and what can be learnt for future subglacial exploration missions. The five areas covered are: (i) field camp environment and activities, (ii) the engineering processes surrounding the hot water drilling, (iii) sample handling, including recovery, stability and preservation, (iv) clean access methodologies and removal of sample material, and (v) the biodiversity and distribution of bacteria around the Antarctic. Comparisons are made between the microbiology of the Lake Ellsworth field site and other Antarctic systems, including the lakes on Signy Island, and on the Antarctic Peninsula at Lake Hodgson. Ongoing research to better define and characterize the behaviour of natural and introduced microbial populations in response to deep-ice drilling is also discussed. We recommend that future access programmes: (i) assess each specific local environment in enhanced detail due to the potential for local contamination, (ii) consider the sterility of the access in more detail, specifically focusing on single cell colonization and the introduction of new species through contamination of pre-existing microbial communities, (iii) consider experimental bias in methodological approaches, (iv) undertake in situ biodiversity detection to mitigate risk of non-sample return and post-sample contamination, and (v) address the critical question of how important ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Signy Island The Royal Society Antarctic The Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Signy Island ENVELOPE(-45.595,-45.595,-60.708,-60.708) Hodgson ENVELOPE(166.083,166.083,-78.117,-78.117) Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 374 2059 20140291 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
The Royal Society |
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crroyalsociety |
language |
English |
description |
During the attempt to directly access, measure and sample Subglacial Lake Ellsworth in 2012–2013, we conducted microbiological analyses of the drilling equipment, scientific instrumentation, field camp and natural surroundings. From these studies, a number of lessons can be learned about the cleanliness of deep Antarctic subglacial lake access leading to, in particular, knowledge of the limitations of some of the most basic relevant microbiological principles. Here, we focus on five of the core challenges faced and describe how cleanliness and sterilization were implemented in the field. In the light of our field experiences, we consider how effective these actions were, and what can be learnt for future subglacial exploration missions. The five areas covered are: (i) field camp environment and activities, (ii) the engineering processes surrounding the hot water drilling, (iii) sample handling, including recovery, stability and preservation, (iv) clean access methodologies and removal of sample material, and (v) the biodiversity and distribution of bacteria around the Antarctic. Comparisons are made between the microbiology of the Lake Ellsworth field site and other Antarctic systems, including the lakes on Signy Island, and on the Antarctic Peninsula at Lake Hodgson. Ongoing research to better define and characterize the behaviour of natural and introduced microbial populations in response to deep-ice drilling is also discussed. We recommend that future access programmes: (i) assess each specific local environment in enhanced detail due to the potential for local contamination, (ii) consider the sterility of the access in more detail, specifically focusing on single cell colonization and the introduction of new species through contamination of pre-existing microbial communities, (iii) consider experimental bias in methodological approaches, (iv) undertake in situ biodiversity detection to mitigate risk of non-sample return and post-sample contamination, and (v) address the critical question of how important ... |
author2 |
NERC SLE consortium |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Pearce, D. A. Magiopoulos, I. Mowlem, M. Tranter, M. Holt, G. Woodward, J. Siegert, M. J. |
spellingShingle |
Pearce, D. A. Magiopoulos, I. Mowlem, M. Tranter, M. Holt, G. Woodward, J. Siegert, M. J. Microbiology: lessons from a first attempt at Lake Ellsworth |
author_facet |
Pearce, D. A. Magiopoulos, I. Mowlem, M. Tranter, M. Holt, G. Woodward, J. Siegert, M. J. |
author_sort |
Pearce, D. A. |
title |
Microbiology: lessons from a first attempt at Lake Ellsworth |
title_short |
Microbiology: lessons from a first attempt at Lake Ellsworth |
title_full |
Microbiology: lessons from a first attempt at Lake Ellsworth |
title_fullStr |
Microbiology: lessons from a first attempt at Lake Ellsworth |
title_full_unstemmed |
Microbiology: lessons from a first attempt at Lake Ellsworth |
title_sort |
microbiology: lessons from a first attempt at lake ellsworth |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2014.0291 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsta.2014.0291 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsta.2014.0291 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-45.595,-45.595,-60.708,-60.708) ENVELOPE(166.083,166.083,-78.117,-78.117) |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Signy Island Hodgson |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Signy Island Hodgson |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Signy Island |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Signy Island |
op_source |
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences volume 374, issue 2059, page 20140291 ISSN 1364-503X 1471-2962 |
op_rights |
https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2014.0291 |
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Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
container_volume |
374 |
container_issue |
2059 |
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20140291 |
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