Marine microbial communities capable of hydrocarbon biodegradation along shipping routes in the Kivalliq region of the Canadian Arctic ...
The extreme cold and icy marine environment in the Canadian Arctic is not well understood regarding its potential for biodegradation of oil spills. Reduced ice cover due to climate change has led to increased human activities, with attendant risks of oil and fuel spills associated with shipping traf...
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| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | unknown |
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Science
2022
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| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/prism/39886 https://prism.ucalgary.ca/handle/1880/114818 |
| Summary: | The extreme cold and icy marine environment in the Canadian Arctic is not well understood regarding its potential for biodegradation of oil spills. Reduced ice cover due to climate change has led to increased human activities, with attendant risks of oil and fuel spills associated with shipping traffic. This threatens the marine ecosystem and well-being of Canadians living in Arctic communities that rely on the ocean for food and cultural livelihood. Naturally occurring hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria within the marine microbiome have the potential to catalyze biodegradation of crude oil compounds, with previous studies showing cold-adapted oil-degrading bacteria inhabiting different marine biomes in the Canadian Arctic. However, the Kivalliq region in Nunavut, Canada, which has been impacted by increased vessel traffic in Hudson Bay in recent decades, has not been investigated in this regard. Determination of the baseline microbiomes in pristine ice, seawater and surface sediment was complemented by mock oil ... |
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