Characterization of Chasmoendolithic Community in Miers Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
The Antarctic Dry Valleys are unable to support higher plant and animal life and so microbial communities dominate biotic ecosystem processes. Soil communities are well characterized, but rocky surfaces have also emerged as a significant microbial habitat. Here, we identify extensive colonization of...
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ftunivhongkonghu:oai:hub.hku.hk:10722/197997 2023-05-15T13:41:42+02:00 Characterization of Chasmoendolithic Community in Miers Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica Chan, YK Pointing, SB Yung, CCM Lacap-Bugler, DC Perez-Ortega, S de los Rios-Murillo, A Lee, CK Cary, SC 2014 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-014-0412-7 http://hdl.handle.net/10722/197997 eng eng Microbial Ecology Microbial Ecology, 2014, v. 68 n. 2, p. 351-359 doi:10.1007/s00248-014-0412-7 229606 WOS:000339735300017 0095-3628 24671755 eid_2-s2.0-84904547176 http://hdl.handle.net/10722/197997 Article 2014 ftunivhongkonghu https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-014-0412-7 2023-01-14T16:01:48Z The Antarctic Dry Valleys are unable to support higher plant and animal life and so microbial communities dominate biotic ecosystem processes. Soil communities are well characterized, but rocky surfaces have also emerged as a significant microbial habitat. Here, we identify extensive colonization of weathered granite on a landscape scale by chasmoendolithic microbial communities. A transect across north-facing and south-facing slopes plus valley floor moraines revealed 30–100%of available substrate was colonized up to an altitude of 800 m. Communities were assessed at a multidomain level and were clearly distinct from those in surrounding soils and other rock-inhabiting cryptoendolithic and hypolithic communities. All colonized rocks were dominated by the cyanobacterial genus Leptolyngbya (Oscillatoriales), with heterotrophic bacteria, archaea, algae, and fungi also identified. Striking patterns in community distribution were evident with regard to microclimate as determined by aspect. Notably, a shift in cyanobacterial assemblages from Chroococcidiopsis-like phylotypes (Pleurocapsales) on colder–drier slopes, to Synechococcuslike phylotypes (Chroococcales) on warmer–wetter slopes. Greater relative abundance of known desiccation-tolerant bacterial taxa occurred on colder–drier slopes. Archaeal phylotypes indicated halotolerant taxa and also taxa possibly derived from nearby volcanic sources. Among the eukaryotes, the lichen photobiont Trebouxia (Chlorophyta) was ubiquitous, but known lichen-forming fungi were not recovered. Instead, fungal assemblages were dominated by ascomycetous yeasts. We conclude that chasmoendoliths likely constitute a significant geobiological phenomenon at lower elevations in granite-dominated Antarctic Dry Valley systems. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys University of Hong Kong: HKU Scholars Hub Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys Miers ENVELOPE(163.850,163.850,-78.100,-78.100) Miers Valley ENVELOPE(164.200,164.200,-78.100,-78.100) The Antarctic Microbial Ecology 68 2 351 359 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Hong Kong: HKU Scholars Hub |
op_collection_id |
ftunivhongkonghu |
language |
English |
description |
The Antarctic Dry Valleys are unable to support higher plant and animal life and so microbial communities dominate biotic ecosystem processes. Soil communities are well characterized, but rocky surfaces have also emerged as a significant microbial habitat. Here, we identify extensive colonization of weathered granite on a landscape scale by chasmoendolithic microbial communities. A transect across north-facing and south-facing slopes plus valley floor moraines revealed 30–100%of available substrate was colonized up to an altitude of 800 m. Communities were assessed at a multidomain level and were clearly distinct from those in surrounding soils and other rock-inhabiting cryptoendolithic and hypolithic communities. All colonized rocks were dominated by the cyanobacterial genus Leptolyngbya (Oscillatoriales), with heterotrophic bacteria, archaea, algae, and fungi also identified. Striking patterns in community distribution were evident with regard to microclimate as determined by aspect. Notably, a shift in cyanobacterial assemblages from Chroococcidiopsis-like phylotypes (Pleurocapsales) on colder–drier slopes, to Synechococcuslike phylotypes (Chroococcales) on warmer–wetter slopes. Greater relative abundance of known desiccation-tolerant bacterial taxa occurred on colder–drier slopes. Archaeal phylotypes indicated halotolerant taxa and also taxa possibly derived from nearby volcanic sources. Among the eukaryotes, the lichen photobiont Trebouxia (Chlorophyta) was ubiquitous, but known lichen-forming fungi were not recovered. Instead, fungal assemblages were dominated by ascomycetous yeasts. We conclude that chasmoendoliths likely constitute a significant geobiological phenomenon at lower elevations in granite-dominated Antarctic Dry Valley systems. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Chan, YK Pointing, SB Yung, CCM Lacap-Bugler, DC Perez-Ortega, S de los Rios-Murillo, A Lee, CK Cary, SC |
spellingShingle |
Chan, YK Pointing, SB Yung, CCM Lacap-Bugler, DC Perez-Ortega, S de los Rios-Murillo, A Lee, CK Cary, SC Characterization of Chasmoendolithic Community in Miers Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica |
author_facet |
Chan, YK Pointing, SB Yung, CCM Lacap-Bugler, DC Perez-Ortega, S de los Rios-Murillo, A Lee, CK Cary, SC |
author_sort |
Chan, YK |
title |
Characterization of Chasmoendolithic Community in Miers Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica |
title_short |
Characterization of Chasmoendolithic Community in Miers Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica |
title_full |
Characterization of Chasmoendolithic Community in Miers Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Characterization of Chasmoendolithic Community in Miers Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Characterization of Chasmoendolithic Community in Miers Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica |
title_sort |
characterization of chasmoendolithic community in miers valley, mcmurdo dry valleys, antarctica |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-014-0412-7 http://hdl.handle.net/10722/197997 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(163.850,163.850,-78.100,-78.100) ENVELOPE(164.200,164.200,-78.100,-78.100) |
geographic |
Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys Miers Miers Valley The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys Miers Miers Valley The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys |
op_relation |
Microbial Ecology Microbial Ecology, 2014, v. 68 n. 2, p. 351-359 doi:10.1007/s00248-014-0412-7 229606 WOS:000339735300017 0095-3628 24671755 eid_2-s2.0-84904547176 http://hdl.handle.net/10722/197997 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-014-0412-7 |
container_title |
Microbial Ecology |
container_volume |
68 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
351 |
op_container_end_page |
359 |
_version_ |
1766153962779574272 |