Polar endoliths - an anti-correlation of climatic extremes and microbial diversity
We examined the environmental stresses experienced by cyanobacteria living in endolithic gneissic habitats in the Haughton impact structure, Devon Island, Canadian High Arctic (75° N) and compared them with the endolithic habitat at the opposite latitude in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica (76° S). In...
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Cambridge University Press
2003
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Online Access: | http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/12628/ |
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ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:12628 2023-05-15T13:45:11+02:00 Polar endoliths - an anti-correlation of climatic extremes and microbial diversity Cockell, Charles S. McKay, Christopher P. Omelon, Christopher 2003 http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/12628/ unknown Cambridge University Press Cockell, Charles S.; McKay, Christopher P.; Omelon, Christopher. 2003 Polar endoliths - an anti-correlation of climatic extremes and microbial diversity. International Journal of Astrobiology, 1 (4). 305-310. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550403001344 <https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550403001344> Meteorology and Climatology Biology and Microbiology Ecology and Environment Publication - Article NonPeerReviewed 2003 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550403001344 2023-02-04T19:28:04Z We examined the environmental stresses experienced by cyanobacteria living in endolithic gneissic habitats in the Haughton impact structure, Devon Island, Canadian High Arctic (75° N) and compared them with the endolithic habitat at the opposite latitude in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica (76° S). In the Arctic during the summer, there is a period for growth of approximately 2.5 months when temperatures rise above freezing. During this period, freeze–thaw can occur during the diurnal cycle, but freeze–thaw excursions are rare within higher-frequency temperature changes on the scale of minutes, in contrast with the Antarctic Dry Valleys. In the Arctic location rainfall of approximately 3 mm can occur in a single day and provides moisture for endolithic organisms for several days afterwards. This rainfall is an order of magnitude higher than that received in the Dry Valleys over 1 year. In the Dry Valleys, endolithic communities may potentially receive higher levels of ultraviolet radiation than the Arctic location because ozone depletion is more extreme. The less extreme environmental stresses experienced in the Arctic are confirmed by the presence of substantial epilithic growth, in contrast to the Dry Valleys. Despite the more extreme conditions experienced in the Antarctic location, the diversity of organisms within the endolithic habitat, which includes lichen and eukaryotic algal components, is higher than observed at the Arctic location, where genera of cyanobacteria dominate. The lower biodiversity in the Arctic may reflect the higher water flow through the rocks caused by precipitation and the more heterogeneous physical structure of the substrate. The data illustrate an instance in which extreme climate is anti-correlated with microbial biological diversity. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Arctic Devon Island Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Antarctic Arctic Devon Island ENVELOPE(-88.000,-88.000,75.252,75.252) The Antarctic International Journal of Astrobiology 1 4 305 310 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive |
op_collection_id |
ftnerc |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Meteorology and Climatology Biology and Microbiology Ecology and Environment |
spellingShingle |
Meteorology and Climatology Biology and Microbiology Ecology and Environment Cockell, Charles S. McKay, Christopher P. Omelon, Christopher Polar endoliths - an anti-correlation of climatic extremes and microbial diversity |
topic_facet |
Meteorology and Climatology Biology and Microbiology Ecology and Environment |
description |
We examined the environmental stresses experienced by cyanobacteria living in endolithic gneissic habitats in the Haughton impact structure, Devon Island, Canadian High Arctic (75° N) and compared them with the endolithic habitat at the opposite latitude in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica (76° S). In the Arctic during the summer, there is a period for growth of approximately 2.5 months when temperatures rise above freezing. During this period, freeze–thaw can occur during the diurnal cycle, but freeze–thaw excursions are rare within higher-frequency temperature changes on the scale of minutes, in contrast with the Antarctic Dry Valleys. In the Arctic location rainfall of approximately 3 mm can occur in a single day and provides moisture for endolithic organisms for several days afterwards. This rainfall is an order of magnitude higher than that received in the Dry Valleys over 1 year. In the Dry Valleys, endolithic communities may potentially receive higher levels of ultraviolet radiation than the Arctic location because ozone depletion is more extreme. The less extreme environmental stresses experienced in the Arctic are confirmed by the presence of substantial epilithic growth, in contrast to the Dry Valleys. Despite the more extreme conditions experienced in the Antarctic location, the diversity of organisms within the endolithic habitat, which includes lichen and eukaryotic algal components, is higher than observed at the Arctic location, where genera of cyanobacteria dominate. The lower biodiversity in the Arctic may reflect the higher water flow through the rocks caused by precipitation and the more heterogeneous physical structure of the substrate. The data illustrate an instance in which extreme climate is anti-correlated with microbial biological diversity. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Cockell, Charles S. McKay, Christopher P. Omelon, Christopher |
author_facet |
Cockell, Charles S. McKay, Christopher P. Omelon, Christopher |
author_sort |
Cockell, Charles S. |
title |
Polar endoliths - an anti-correlation of climatic extremes and microbial diversity |
title_short |
Polar endoliths - an anti-correlation of climatic extremes and microbial diversity |
title_full |
Polar endoliths - an anti-correlation of climatic extremes and microbial diversity |
title_fullStr |
Polar endoliths - an anti-correlation of climatic extremes and microbial diversity |
title_full_unstemmed |
Polar endoliths - an anti-correlation of climatic extremes and microbial diversity |
title_sort |
polar endoliths - an anti-correlation of climatic extremes and microbial diversity |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/12628/ |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-88.000,-88.000,75.252,75.252) |
geographic |
Antarctic Arctic Devon Island The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Arctic Devon Island The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Arctic Devon Island |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Arctic Devon Island |
op_relation |
Cockell, Charles S.; McKay, Christopher P.; Omelon, Christopher. 2003 Polar endoliths - an anti-correlation of climatic extremes and microbial diversity. International Journal of Astrobiology, 1 (4). 305-310. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550403001344 <https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550403001344> |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550403001344 |
container_title |
International Journal of Astrobiology |
container_volume |
1 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
305 |
op_container_end_page |
310 |
_version_ |
1766215197062594560 |