| Summary: | Antarctica is essentially a microbial continent. A surprisingly large biodiversity of adapted microorganisms lives permanently in various biotopes of the ice-free areas (about 44,000 km2). Based on molecular methods and microscopic observations, important findings like the presence of potentially endemic taxa, their survival in glacial refugia since the continent moved away from Australia and South America, and the determination of biogeographic patterns have been inferred. Moreover, Antarctic microorganisms may contain novel molecules with potentially pharmaceutical or biotechnological interest. However, microbial habitats are under pressure as a result of nthropogenic introductions. Indeed, as a consequence of human presence, non-indigenous microorganisms are released from bodies, clothing, cargo and food into the environment (Cowan et al. 2011). The increase of tourism and its diversification from coastal cruises to adventurous expeditions into the continent, as well as the increase of research stations and associated impacts, constantly create new ‘entry points‘ for microbial contamination (Chown et al. 2012). The impacts of such introductions are still unknown, and might lead to a loss of the native microbial biodiversity, or its modification by lateral gene transfer. The technical progresses in molecular methodologies, like we currently see with Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), mean that very sensitive high-throughput analyses will become increasingly accessible. They have the potential to describe the microbial communities with unprecedented details without preconceived expectations. However, by that time, we might have lost the pristine Antarctic areas that would enable the scientists to study the native microbial flora, its functioning and properties. The Protocol on Environmental Protection of the Antarctic Treaty foresees the designation of Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA) to protect “outstanding environmental, scientific, historic, aesthetic, or wilderness values, any combination of those ...
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