Microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of continental Antarctic soils
The Antarctica Dry Valleys are regarded as the coldest hyperarid desert system on Earth. While a wide variety of environmental stressors including very low minimum temperatures, frequent freeze-thaw cycles and low water availability impose severe limitations to life, suitable niches for abundant mic...
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/43517 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2014.00154 |
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ftunivpretoria:oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/43517 2023-05-15T14:00:33+02:00 Microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of continental Antarctic soils Cowan, Don A. Makhalanyane, Thulani P. Dennis, Paul G. Hopkins, David W. 2014-04 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/43517 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2014.00154 en eng Frontiers Research Foundation http://hdl.handle.net/2263/43517 Cowan, D, Makhalanyane, TP, Dennis PG & Hopkins, DW 2014, 'Microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of continental Antarctic soils', Frontiers in Microbiology, vol. 5, pp. 1-10. 1664-302X (online) doi:10.3389/fmicb.2014.00154 © 2014 Cowan, Makhalanyane, Dennis and Hopkins. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). CC-BY Antarctica Microbial ecology Soil Hypoliths Nitrogen Carbon Adaptation Threats Impacts Article 2014 ftunivpretoria https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2014.00154 2022-05-31T13:28:48Z The Antarctica Dry Valleys are regarded as the coldest hyperarid desert system on Earth. While a wide variety of environmental stressors including very low minimum temperatures, frequent freeze-thaw cycles and low water availability impose severe limitations to life, suitable niches for abundant microbial colonization exist. Antarctic desert soils contain much higher levels of microbial diversity than previously thought. Edaphic niches, including cryptic and refuge habitats, microbial mats and permafrost soils all harbor microbial communities which drive key biogeochemical cycling processes. For example, lithobionts (hypoliths and endoliths) possess a genetic capacity for nitrogen and carbon cycling, polymer degradation, and other system processes. Nitrogen fixation rates of hypoliths, as assessed through acetylene reduction assays, suggest that these communities are a significant input source for nitrogen into these oligotrophic soils. Here we review aspects of microbial diversity in Antarctic soils with an emphasis on functionality and capacity. We assess current knowledge regarding adaptations to Antarctic soil environments and highlight the current threats to Antarctic desert soil communities. University of Pretoria Genomics Research Institute, The South African National Research Foundation (SANAP program), Antarctica New Zealand, the University of Waikato NZTABS program, the UK Natural Environment Research Council (Antarctic Funding Initiative) and the British Antarctic Survey. http://www.frontiersin.org/Microbiology hb2015 Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Antarctica New Zealand British Antarctic Survey permafrost University of Pretoria: UPSpace Antarctic New Zealand Frontiers in Microbiology 5 |
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University of Pretoria: UPSpace |
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ftunivpretoria |
language |
English |
topic |
Antarctica Microbial ecology Soil Hypoliths Nitrogen Carbon Adaptation Threats Impacts |
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Antarctica Microbial ecology Soil Hypoliths Nitrogen Carbon Adaptation Threats Impacts Cowan, Don A. Makhalanyane, Thulani P. Dennis, Paul G. Hopkins, David W. Microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of continental Antarctic soils |
topic_facet |
Antarctica Microbial ecology Soil Hypoliths Nitrogen Carbon Adaptation Threats Impacts |
description |
The Antarctica Dry Valleys are regarded as the coldest hyperarid desert system on Earth. While a wide variety of environmental stressors including very low minimum temperatures, frequent freeze-thaw cycles and low water availability impose severe limitations to life, suitable niches for abundant microbial colonization exist. Antarctic desert soils contain much higher levels of microbial diversity than previously thought. Edaphic niches, including cryptic and refuge habitats, microbial mats and permafrost soils all harbor microbial communities which drive key biogeochemical cycling processes. For example, lithobionts (hypoliths and endoliths) possess a genetic capacity for nitrogen and carbon cycling, polymer degradation, and other system processes. Nitrogen fixation rates of hypoliths, as assessed through acetylene reduction assays, suggest that these communities are a significant input source for nitrogen into these oligotrophic soils. Here we review aspects of microbial diversity in Antarctic soils with an emphasis on functionality and capacity. We assess current knowledge regarding adaptations to Antarctic soil environments and highlight the current threats to Antarctic desert soil communities. University of Pretoria Genomics Research Institute, The South African National Research Foundation (SANAP program), Antarctica New Zealand, the University of Waikato NZTABS program, the UK Natural Environment Research Council (Antarctic Funding Initiative) and the British Antarctic Survey. http://www.frontiersin.org/Microbiology hb2015 |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Cowan, Don A. Makhalanyane, Thulani P. Dennis, Paul G. Hopkins, David W. |
author_facet |
Cowan, Don A. Makhalanyane, Thulani P. Dennis, Paul G. Hopkins, David W. |
author_sort |
Cowan, Don A. |
title |
Microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of continental Antarctic soils |
title_short |
Microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of continental Antarctic soils |
title_full |
Microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of continental Antarctic soils |
title_fullStr |
Microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of continental Antarctic soils |
title_full_unstemmed |
Microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of continental Antarctic soils |
title_sort |
microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of continental antarctic soils |
publisher |
Frontiers Research Foundation |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/2263/43517 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2014.00154 |
geographic |
Antarctic New Zealand |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic New Zealand |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Antarctica New Zealand British Antarctic Survey permafrost |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Antarctica New Zealand British Antarctic Survey permafrost |
op_relation |
http://hdl.handle.net/2263/43517 Cowan, D, Makhalanyane, TP, Dennis PG & Hopkins, DW 2014, 'Microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of continental Antarctic soils', Frontiers in Microbiology, vol. 5, pp. 1-10. 1664-302X (online) doi:10.3389/fmicb.2014.00154 |
op_rights |
© 2014 Cowan, Makhalanyane, Dennis and Hopkins. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2014.00154 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Microbiology |
container_volume |
5 |
_version_ |
1766269719214555136 |