Non-indigenous microorganisms in the Antarctic: assessing the risks
The Antarctic continent is frequently cited as the last pristine continent on Earth. However, this view is misleading for several reasons. First, there has been a rapid increase in visitors to Antarctica, with large increases at research bases and their environs and to sites of major tourist interes...
Published in: | Trends in Microbiology |
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2011
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ftunstellenbosch:oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/16994 2023-05-15T13:54:33+02:00 Non-indigenous microorganisms in the Antarctic: assessing the risks Cowan D.A. Chown S.L. Convey P. Tuffin M. Hughes K. Pointing S. Vincent W.F. 2011-10-13 http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/16994 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-80052182677&partnerID=40&md5=300d99532a5628e3d33f81b7ed2573eb https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2011.07.008 unknown Article in Press 2011 ftunstellenbosch https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2011.07.008 2018-10-27T11:29:01Z The Antarctic continent is frequently cited as the last pristine continent on Earth. However, this view is misleading for several reasons. First, there has been a rapid increase in visitors to Antarctica, with large increases at research bases and their environs and to sites of major tourist interest (e.g. historical sites and concentrations of megafauna). Second, although substantial efforts are made to avoid physical disturbance and contamination by chemical, human and other wastes at these sites, little has been done to prevent the introduction of non-indigenous microorganisms. Here, we analyse the extent and significance of anthropogenic introduction of microbial 'contaminants' to the Antarctic continent. We conclude that such processes are unlikely to have any immediate gross impact on microbiological community structure or function, but that increased efforts are required to protect the unique ecosystems of Antarctica from microbial and genetic contamination and homogenisation. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Article in Press Other/Unknown Material Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Stellenbosch University: SUNScholar Research Repository Antarctic The Antarctic Trends in Microbiology 19 11 540 548 |
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Stellenbosch University: SUNScholar Research Repository |
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The Antarctic continent is frequently cited as the last pristine continent on Earth. However, this view is misleading for several reasons. First, there has been a rapid increase in visitors to Antarctica, with large increases at research bases and their environs and to sites of major tourist interest (e.g. historical sites and concentrations of megafauna). Second, although substantial efforts are made to avoid physical disturbance and contamination by chemical, human and other wastes at these sites, little has been done to prevent the introduction of non-indigenous microorganisms. Here, we analyse the extent and significance of anthropogenic introduction of microbial 'contaminants' to the Antarctic continent. We conclude that such processes are unlikely to have any immediate gross impact on microbiological community structure or function, but that increased efforts are required to protect the unique ecosystems of Antarctica from microbial and genetic contamination and homogenisation. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Article in Press |
format |
Other/Unknown Material |
author |
Cowan D.A. Chown S.L. Convey P. Tuffin M. Hughes K. Pointing S. Vincent W.F. |
spellingShingle |
Cowan D.A. Chown S.L. Convey P. Tuffin M. Hughes K. Pointing S. Vincent W.F. Non-indigenous microorganisms in the Antarctic: assessing the risks |
author_facet |
Cowan D.A. Chown S.L. Convey P. Tuffin M. Hughes K. Pointing S. Vincent W.F. |
author_sort |
Cowan D.A. |
title |
Non-indigenous microorganisms in the Antarctic: assessing the risks |
title_short |
Non-indigenous microorganisms in the Antarctic: assessing the risks |
title_full |
Non-indigenous microorganisms in the Antarctic: assessing the risks |
title_fullStr |
Non-indigenous microorganisms in the Antarctic: assessing the risks |
title_full_unstemmed |
Non-indigenous microorganisms in the Antarctic: assessing the risks |
title_sort |
non-indigenous microorganisms in the antarctic: assessing the risks |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/16994 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-80052182677&partnerID=40&md5=300d99532a5628e3d33f81b7ed2573eb https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2011.07.008 |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2011.07.008 |
container_title |
Trends in Microbiology |
container_volume |
19 |
container_issue |
11 |
container_start_page |
540 |
op_container_end_page |
548 |
_version_ |
1766260544377978880 |