Spatial Variability of Antarctic Surface Snow Bacterial Communities
It was once a long-held view that the Antarctic was a pristine environment with low biomass, low biodiversity and low rates of microbial activity. However, as the intensity of scientific investigation has increased, so these views have started to change. In particular, the role and impact of human a...
Published in: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2019
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00461 https://doaj.org/article/ced074b3a8f2496bab056ff21c08c8f7 |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:ced074b3a8f2496bab056ff21c08c8f7 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:ced074b3a8f2496bab056ff21c08c8f7 2023-05-15T13:57:13+02:00 Spatial Variability of Antarctic Surface Snow Bacterial Communities Lucie A. Malard Marie Šabacká Iordanis Magiopoulos Matt Mowlem Andy Hodson Martyn Tranter Martin J. Siegert David A. Pearce 2019-03-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00461 https://doaj.org/article/ced074b3a8f2496bab056ff21c08c8f7 EN eng Frontiers Media S.A. https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00461/full https://doaj.org/toc/1664-302X 1664-302X doi:10.3389/fmicb.2019.00461 https://doaj.org/article/ced074b3a8f2496bab056ff21c08c8f7 Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol 10 (2019) Antarctic snow biogeography Ellsworth Lake microbial diversity relic DNA Microbiology QR1-502 article 2019 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00461 2022-12-31T13:10:43Z It was once a long-held view that the Antarctic was a pristine environment with low biomass, low biodiversity and low rates of microbial activity. However, as the intensity of scientific investigation has increased, so these views have started to change. In particular, the role and impact of human activity toward indigenous microbial communities has started to come under more intense scrutiny. During the Subglacial Lake Ellsworth exploration campaign in December 2012, a microbiological survey was conducted to determine the extent and likelihood of exogenous input into the subglacial lake system during the hot-water drilling process. Snow was collected from the surface to represent that used for melt water production for hot-water drilling. The results of this study showed that snow used to provide melt water differed in its microbiological composition from that of the surrounding area and raised the question of how the biogeography of snow-borne microorganisms might influence the potential outcome of scientific analyses. In this study, we investigated the biogeography of microorganisms in snow around a series of Antarctic logistic hubs, where human activity was clearly apparent, and from which scientific investigations have been undertaken. A change in microbial community structure with geographical location was apparent and, notably, a decrease in alpha diversity at more remote southern latitudes. Soil-related microorganisms dominated microbial assemblages suggesting terrestrial input, most likely from long-range aeolian transport into continental Antarctica. We also observed that relic DNA was not a major issue when assessing snow samples. Overall, our observations might have profound implications for future scientific activities in Antarctica, such as the need to establish “no-go” protected areas, the need for better characterization of field sites and improved protocols for sterilization and verification of ice drilling equipment. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic The Antarctic Frontiers in Microbiology 10 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Antarctic snow biogeography Ellsworth Lake microbial diversity relic DNA Microbiology QR1-502 |
spellingShingle |
Antarctic snow biogeography Ellsworth Lake microbial diversity relic DNA Microbiology QR1-502 Lucie A. Malard Marie Šabacká Iordanis Magiopoulos Matt Mowlem Andy Hodson Martyn Tranter Martin J. Siegert David A. Pearce Spatial Variability of Antarctic Surface Snow Bacterial Communities |
topic_facet |
Antarctic snow biogeography Ellsworth Lake microbial diversity relic DNA Microbiology QR1-502 |
description |
It was once a long-held view that the Antarctic was a pristine environment with low biomass, low biodiversity and low rates of microbial activity. However, as the intensity of scientific investigation has increased, so these views have started to change. In particular, the role and impact of human activity toward indigenous microbial communities has started to come under more intense scrutiny. During the Subglacial Lake Ellsworth exploration campaign in December 2012, a microbiological survey was conducted to determine the extent and likelihood of exogenous input into the subglacial lake system during the hot-water drilling process. Snow was collected from the surface to represent that used for melt water production for hot-water drilling. The results of this study showed that snow used to provide melt water differed in its microbiological composition from that of the surrounding area and raised the question of how the biogeography of snow-borne microorganisms might influence the potential outcome of scientific analyses. In this study, we investigated the biogeography of microorganisms in snow around a series of Antarctic logistic hubs, where human activity was clearly apparent, and from which scientific investigations have been undertaken. A change in microbial community structure with geographical location was apparent and, notably, a decrease in alpha diversity at more remote southern latitudes. Soil-related microorganisms dominated microbial assemblages suggesting terrestrial input, most likely from long-range aeolian transport into continental Antarctica. We also observed that relic DNA was not a major issue when assessing snow samples. Overall, our observations might have profound implications for future scientific activities in Antarctica, such as the need to establish “no-go” protected areas, the need for better characterization of field sites and improved protocols for sterilization and verification of ice drilling equipment. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lucie A. Malard Marie Šabacká Iordanis Magiopoulos Matt Mowlem Andy Hodson Martyn Tranter Martin J. Siegert David A. Pearce |
author_facet |
Lucie A. Malard Marie Šabacká Iordanis Magiopoulos Matt Mowlem Andy Hodson Martyn Tranter Martin J. Siegert David A. Pearce |
author_sort |
Lucie A. Malard |
title |
Spatial Variability of Antarctic Surface Snow Bacterial Communities |
title_short |
Spatial Variability of Antarctic Surface Snow Bacterial Communities |
title_full |
Spatial Variability of Antarctic Surface Snow Bacterial Communities |
title_fullStr |
Spatial Variability of Antarctic Surface Snow Bacterial Communities |
title_full_unstemmed |
Spatial Variability of Antarctic Surface Snow Bacterial Communities |
title_sort |
spatial variability of antarctic surface snow bacterial communities |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00461 https://doaj.org/article/ced074b3a8f2496bab056ff21c08c8f7 |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica |
op_source |
Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol 10 (2019) |
op_relation |
https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00461/full https://doaj.org/toc/1664-302X 1664-302X doi:10.3389/fmicb.2019.00461 https://doaj.org/article/ced074b3a8f2496bab056ff21c08c8f7 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00461 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Microbiology |
container_volume |
10 |
_version_ |
1766264813937229824 |