A novel Antarctic microbial endolithic community within gypsum crusts
Summary A novel endolithic microbial habitat is described from a climatically extreme site at Two Step Cliffs, Alexander Island, Antarctic Peninsula (71°54′S, 68°13′W). Small endolithic colonies (<3 mm in diameter) are found within the translucent gypsum crust that forms on the surface of sandsto...
Published in: | Environmental Microbiology |
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1462-2920.2003.00439.x https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1046%2Fj.1462-2920.2003.00439.x http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1046/j.1462-2920.2003.00439.x/fullpdf |
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crwiley:10.1046/j.1462-2920.2003.00439.x 2024-09-15T17:36:32+00:00 A novel Antarctic microbial endolithic community within gypsum crusts Hughes, Kevin A. Lawley, Blair 2003 http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1462-2920.2003.00439.x https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1046%2Fj.1462-2920.2003.00439.x http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1046/j.1462-2920.2003.00439.x/fullpdf en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Environmental Microbiology volume 5, issue 7, page 555-565 ISSN 1462-2912 1462-2920 journal-article 2003 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1462-2920.2003.00439.x 2024-08-27T04:26:47Z Summary A novel endolithic microbial habitat is described from a climatically extreme site at Two Step Cliffs, Alexander Island, Antarctic Peninsula (71°54′S, 68°13′W). Small endolithic colonies (<3 mm in diameter) are found within the translucent gypsum crust that forms on the surface of sandstone boulders. Gypsum crusts are found on ice‐free rocks throughout the Antarctic and therefore offer potential colonization sites at more inhospitable locations, including sites at higher latitudes. Cyanobacterial, bacterial and fungal components were cultured from the crust material and have been identified as Chloroglea sp., Sphingomonas sp. and Verticillium sp. respectively. A non‐cultured, black‐pigmented fungus was also found. Cyanobacterial primary productivity is low: at depths of 1.2 and 2.5 mm within the crust, estimates of possible cell divisions per year were < 38 and four respectively. This microniche is proposed to provide protection from desiccation, rapid temperature variation and UV radiation flux while allowing penetration of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) for utilization by phototrophs. The endolithic communities are less extensive than those of the Dry Valleys, continental Antarctica, probably owing to only recent deglaciation (<7000 year ago). Article in Journal/Newspaper Alexander Island Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Wiley Online Library Environmental Microbiology 5 7 555 565 |
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Open Polar |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
Summary A novel endolithic microbial habitat is described from a climatically extreme site at Two Step Cliffs, Alexander Island, Antarctic Peninsula (71°54′S, 68°13′W). Small endolithic colonies (<3 mm in diameter) are found within the translucent gypsum crust that forms on the surface of sandstone boulders. Gypsum crusts are found on ice‐free rocks throughout the Antarctic and therefore offer potential colonization sites at more inhospitable locations, including sites at higher latitudes. Cyanobacterial, bacterial and fungal components were cultured from the crust material and have been identified as Chloroglea sp., Sphingomonas sp. and Verticillium sp. respectively. A non‐cultured, black‐pigmented fungus was also found. Cyanobacterial primary productivity is low: at depths of 1.2 and 2.5 mm within the crust, estimates of possible cell divisions per year were < 38 and four respectively. This microniche is proposed to provide protection from desiccation, rapid temperature variation and UV radiation flux while allowing penetration of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) for utilization by phototrophs. The endolithic communities are less extensive than those of the Dry Valleys, continental Antarctica, probably owing to only recent deglaciation (<7000 year ago). |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hughes, Kevin A. Lawley, Blair |
spellingShingle |
Hughes, Kevin A. Lawley, Blair A novel Antarctic microbial endolithic community within gypsum crusts |
author_facet |
Hughes, Kevin A. Lawley, Blair |
author_sort |
Hughes, Kevin A. |
title |
A novel Antarctic microbial endolithic community within gypsum crusts |
title_short |
A novel Antarctic microbial endolithic community within gypsum crusts |
title_full |
A novel Antarctic microbial endolithic community within gypsum crusts |
title_fullStr |
A novel Antarctic microbial endolithic community within gypsum crusts |
title_full_unstemmed |
A novel Antarctic microbial endolithic community within gypsum crusts |
title_sort |
novel antarctic microbial endolithic community within gypsum crusts |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1462-2920.2003.00439.x https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1046%2Fj.1462-2920.2003.00439.x http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1046/j.1462-2920.2003.00439.x/fullpdf |
genre |
Alexander Island Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Alexander Island Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica |
op_source |
Environmental Microbiology volume 5, issue 7, page 555-565 ISSN 1462-2912 1462-2920 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1462-2920.2003.00439.x |
container_title |
Environmental Microbiology |
container_volume |
5 |
container_issue |
7 |
container_start_page |
555 |
op_container_end_page |
565 |
_version_ |
1810490125006667776 |