Reconstruction of the functional ecosystem in the high light, low temperature Union Glacier Region, Antarctica
Antarctica is covered by multiple larger glaciers with diverse extreme conditions. Microorganisms in Antarctic regions are primarily responsible for diverse biogeochemical processes. The identity and functionality of microorganisms from polar glaciers are defined. However, little is known about micr...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02408 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/135631 |
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ftunivtasecite:oai:ecite.utas.edu.au:135631 2023-05-15T13:55:18+02:00 Reconstruction of the functional ecosystem in the high light, low temperature Union Glacier Region, Antarctica Li, Y Cha, Q-Q Dang, Y-R Chen, X-L Wang, M McMinn, A Espina, G Zhang, Y-Z Blamey, JM Qin, Q-L 2019 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02408 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/135631 en eng Frontiers Research Foundation http://ecite.utas.edu.au/135631/1/135631 - Reconstruction of the functional ecosystem in the high light, low temperature.pdf http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02408 Li, Y and Cha, Q-Q and Dang, Y-R and Chen, X-L and Wang, M and McMinn, A and Espina, G and Zhang, Y-Z and Blamey, JM and Qin, Q-L, Reconstruction of the functional ecosystem in the high light, low temperature Union Glacier Region, Antarctica, Frontiers in Microbiology, 10, (OCT) Article 2408. ISSN 1664-302X (2019) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/135631 Biological Sciences Microbiology Microbial Ecology Refereed Article PeerReviewed 2019 ftunivtasecite https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02408 2019-12-13T22:33:09Z Antarctica is covered by multiple larger glaciers with diverse extreme conditions. Microorganisms in Antarctic regions are primarily responsible for diverse biogeochemical processes. The identity and functionality of microorganisms from polar glaciers are defined. However, little is known about microbial communities from the high elevation glaciers. The Union Glacier, located in the inland of West Antarctica at 79S, is a challenging environment for life to survive due to the high irradiance and low temperatures. Here, soil and rock samples were obtained from three high mountains (Rossman Cove, Charles Peak, and Elephant Head) adjacent to the Union Glacier. Using metagenomic analyses, the functional microbial ecosystem was analyzed through the reconstruction of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur metabolic pathways. A low biomass but diverse microbial community was found. Although archaea were detected, bacteria were dominant. Taxa responsible for carbon fixation were comprised of photoautotrophs (Cyanobacteria) and chemoautotrophs (mainly Alphaproteobacterial clades: Bradyrhizobium , Sphingopyxis , and Nitrobacter ). The main nitrogen fixation taxa were Halothece (Cyanobacteria), Methyloversatilis , and Leptothrix (Betaproteobacteria). Diverse sulfide-oxidizing and sulfate-reducing bacteria, fermenters, denitrifying microbes, methanogens, and methane oxidizers were also found. Putative producers provide organic carbon and nitrogen for the growth of other heterotrophic microbes. In the biogeochemical pathways, assimilation and mineralization of organic compounds were the dominant processes. Besides, a range of metabolic pathways and genes related to high irradiance, low temperature and other stress adaptations were detected, which indicate that the microbial communities had adapted to and could survive in this harsh environment. These results provide a detailed perspective of the microbial functional ecology of the Union Glacier area and improve our understanding of linkages between microbial communities and biogeochemical cycling in high Antarctic ecosystems. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Union Glacier West Antarctica eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) Antarctic West Antarctica Union Glacier ENVELOPE(-82.500,-82.500,-79.750,-79.750) Rossman ENVELOPE(-82.800,-82.800,-79.783,-79.783) Charles Peak ENVELOPE(-83.183,-83.183,-79.733,-79.733) Frontiers in Microbiology 10 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) |
op_collection_id |
ftunivtasecite |
language |
English |
topic |
Biological Sciences Microbiology Microbial Ecology |
spellingShingle |
Biological Sciences Microbiology Microbial Ecology Li, Y Cha, Q-Q Dang, Y-R Chen, X-L Wang, M McMinn, A Espina, G Zhang, Y-Z Blamey, JM Qin, Q-L Reconstruction of the functional ecosystem in the high light, low temperature Union Glacier Region, Antarctica |
topic_facet |
Biological Sciences Microbiology Microbial Ecology |
description |
Antarctica is covered by multiple larger glaciers with diverse extreme conditions. Microorganisms in Antarctic regions are primarily responsible for diverse biogeochemical processes. The identity and functionality of microorganisms from polar glaciers are defined. However, little is known about microbial communities from the high elevation glaciers. The Union Glacier, located in the inland of West Antarctica at 79S, is a challenging environment for life to survive due to the high irradiance and low temperatures. Here, soil and rock samples were obtained from three high mountains (Rossman Cove, Charles Peak, and Elephant Head) adjacent to the Union Glacier. Using metagenomic analyses, the functional microbial ecosystem was analyzed through the reconstruction of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur metabolic pathways. A low biomass but diverse microbial community was found. Although archaea were detected, bacteria were dominant. Taxa responsible for carbon fixation were comprised of photoautotrophs (Cyanobacteria) and chemoautotrophs (mainly Alphaproteobacterial clades: Bradyrhizobium , Sphingopyxis , and Nitrobacter ). The main nitrogen fixation taxa were Halothece (Cyanobacteria), Methyloversatilis , and Leptothrix (Betaproteobacteria). Diverse sulfide-oxidizing and sulfate-reducing bacteria, fermenters, denitrifying microbes, methanogens, and methane oxidizers were also found. Putative producers provide organic carbon and nitrogen for the growth of other heterotrophic microbes. In the biogeochemical pathways, assimilation and mineralization of organic compounds were the dominant processes. Besides, a range of metabolic pathways and genes related to high irradiance, low temperature and other stress adaptations were detected, which indicate that the microbial communities had adapted to and could survive in this harsh environment. These results provide a detailed perspective of the microbial functional ecology of the Union Glacier area and improve our understanding of linkages between microbial communities and biogeochemical cycling in high Antarctic ecosystems. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Li, Y Cha, Q-Q Dang, Y-R Chen, X-L Wang, M McMinn, A Espina, G Zhang, Y-Z Blamey, JM Qin, Q-L |
author_facet |
Li, Y Cha, Q-Q Dang, Y-R Chen, X-L Wang, M McMinn, A Espina, G Zhang, Y-Z Blamey, JM Qin, Q-L |
author_sort |
Li, Y |
title |
Reconstruction of the functional ecosystem in the high light, low temperature Union Glacier Region, Antarctica |
title_short |
Reconstruction of the functional ecosystem in the high light, low temperature Union Glacier Region, Antarctica |
title_full |
Reconstruction of the functional ecosystem in the high light, low temperature Union Glacier Region, Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Reconstruction of the functional ecosystem in the high light, low temperature Union Glacier Region, Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Reconstruction of the functional ecosystem in the high light, low temperature Union Glacier Region, Antarctica |
title_sort |
reconstruction of the functional ecosystem in the high light, low temperature union glacier region, antarctica |
publisher |
Frontiers Research Foundation |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02408 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/135631 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-82.500,-82.500,-79.750,-79.750) ENVELOPE(-82.800,-82.800,-79.783,-79.783) ENVELOPE(-83.183,-83.183,-79.733,-79.733) |
geographic |
Antarctic West Antarctica Union Glacier Rossman Charles Peak |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic West Antarctica Union Glacier Rossman Charles Peak |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Union Glacier West Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Union Glacier West Antarctica |
op_relation |
http://ecite.utas.edu.au/135631/1/135631 - Reconstruction of the functional ecosystem in the high light, low temperature.pdf http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02408 Li, Y and Cha, Q-Q and Dang, Y-R and Chen, X-L and Wang, M and McMinn, A and Espina, G and Zhang, Y-Z and Blamey, JM and Qin, Q-L, Reconstruction of the functional ecosystem in the high light, low temperature Union Glacier Region, Antarctica, Frontiers in Microbiology, 10, (OCT) Article 2408. ISSN 1664-302X (2019) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/135631 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02408 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Microbiology |
container_volume |
10 |
_version_ |
1766261708491325440 |