Microbiology: lessons from a first attempt at Lake Ellsworth

Pearce, David A.; Magiopoulos, Iordanis; Mowlem, Matthew C.; Tranter, Martyn; Holt, Giles; Woodward, John; Siegert, Martín J.

doi:10.1098/rsta.2014.0291

Cited by 12 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…The glacier snowpack microbial community also seemed largely composed of typical endogenous Antarctic snow inhabitants [ Lopatina et al , ], while the coastal snowpack contained taxa known from snow, ice, soils, and the ocean. We are confident that the sequences obtained represent genuine samples from the cryosphere due to their similarity to other snowpack and polar studies [e.g., Pearce et al , ], the lack of such sequences in the controls, and their dissimilarity to those described from common reagent contaminants [e.g., Salter et al , ]. Furthermore, the number of operational taxonomical units (OTUs) shared by the combined coastal snowpit bacterial communities (total 64,648) and the combined glacial snowpits (total 17,251) was very low (1528 or 2.3%), suggesting that the two different snowpack habitats harbored distinct bacterial communities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Microbes influence the biogeochemical and optical properties of maritime Antarctic snow

et al. 2017

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Snowmelt in the Antarctic Peninsula region has increased significantly in recent decades, leading to greater liquid water availability across a more expansive area. As a consequence, changes in the biological activity within wet Antarctic snow require consideration if we are to better understand terrestrial carbon cycling on Earth's coldest continent. This paper therefore examines the relationship between microbial communities and the chemical and physical environment of wet snow habitats on Livingston Island of the maritime Antarctic. In so doing, we reveal a strong reduction in bacterial diversity and autotrophic biomass within a short (<1 km) distance from the coast. Coastal snowpacks, fertilized by greater amounts of nutrients from rock debris and marine fauna, develop obvious, pigmented snow algal communities that control the absorption of visible light to a far greater extent than with the inland glacial snowpacks. Absorption by carotenoid pigments is most influential at the surface, while chlorophyll is most influential beneath it. The coastal snowpacks also indicate higher concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon and CO2 in interstitial air, as well as a close relationship between chlorophyll and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). As a consequence, the DOC resource available in coastal snow can support a more diverse bacterial community that includes microorganisms from a range of nearby terrestrial and marine habitats. Therefore, since further expansion of the melt zone will influence glacial snowpacks more than coastal ones, care must be taken when considering the types of communities that may be expected to evolve there.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Microbes influence the biogeochemical and optical properties of maritime Antarctic snow

et al. 2017

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“…Hence, broad scale biogeographic patterns of Antarctic snow microorganisms are unknown. In addition, knowledge of colonization pathways, and whether Antarctic ecosystems are seeded primarily by local dispersal processes or long-range transport, is still open to question (Pearce et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Variability of Antarctic Surface Snow Bacterial Communities

et al. 2019

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It was once a long-held view that the Antarctic was a pristine environment with low biomass, low biodiversity and low rates of microbial activity. However, as the intensity of scientific investigation has increased, so these views have started to change. In particular, the role and impact of human activity toward indigenous microbial communities has started to come under more intense scrutiny. During the Subglacial Lake Ellsworth exploration campaign in December 2012, a microbiological survey was conducted to determine the extent and likelihood of exogenous input into the subglacial lake system during the hot-water drilling process. Snow was collected from the surface to represent that used for melt water production for hot-water drilling. The results of this study showed that snow used to provide melt water differed in its microbiological composition from that of the surrounding area and raised the question of how the biogeography of snow-borne microorganisms might influence the potential outcome of scientific analyses. In this study, we investigated the biogeography of microorganisms in snow around a series of Antarctic logistic hubs, where human activity was clearly apparent, and from which scientific investigations have been undertaken. A change in microbial community structure with geographical location was apparent and, notably, a decrease in alpha diversity at more remote southern latitudes. Soil-related microorganisms dominated microbial assemblages suggesting terrestrial input, most likely from long-range aeolian transport into continental Antarctica. We also observed that relic DNA was not a major issue when assessing snow samples. Overall, our observations might have profound implications for future scientific activities in Antarctica, such as the need to establish “no-go” protected areas, the need for better characterization of field sites and improved protocols for sterilization and verification of ice drilling equipment.

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“…The latter requirement necessitates a design and choice of materials that facilitate cleaning and sterilization procedures. The cleaning procedures used by the Lake Ellsworth consortium include washing with detergent, ultra sonication, biocide, 70% ethanol, and hydrogen peroxide vapor (Seigert ; Magiopoulos et al ; Pearce et al ).…”

Section: Design Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A mini‐corer for precision sampling of the water‐sediment interface in subglacial lakes and other remote aqueous environments

Keen¹,

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Rundle

et al. 2018

Limnology & Ocean Methods

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Recent interest in Antarctic subglacial lakes has seen the development of bespoke systems for sampling them. These systems are considered pristine environments potentially harboring undisturbed sedimentary sequences and ecosystems adapted to these cold oligotrophic environments in the absence of sunlight. The water/sediment interface is considered a prime location for the detection of microbial life and so is of particular interest. This article describes the development of a small corer to capture and retain a short core that includes the water/sediment interface specifically to address the question of whether life exists in these lakes. This apparatus was developed as part of the UK led project to access, measure, and sample subglacial Lake Ellsworth. In addition to addressing the constraints of coring in this difficult environment, the results of subsequent testing suggest that this corer can be applied to sampling sediments in other environments and would be particularly useful in low energy environments when the water-sediment interface is indistinct or unconsolidated. Design considerations Substrate and sample compositionThe Lake access and sampling site has been specifically chosen to target the deepest and least disturbed location within the lake where it is more likely that the sediment sequence will be intact (Woodward 2010). As the water-sediment interface is the key target for microbial studies, the ideal sample

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Microbiology: lessons from a first attempt at Lake Ellsworth

Abstract: One contribution of 17 to a Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Antarctic subglacial lake exploration: first results and future plans' .

Cited by 12 publications

References 58 publications

Microbes influence the biogeochemical and optical properties of maritime Antarctic snow

Microbes influence the biogeochemical and optical properties of maritime Antarctic snow

Spatial Variability of Antarctic Surface Snow Bacterial Communities

A mini‐corer for precision sampling of the water‐sediment interface in subglacial lakes and other remote aqueous environments

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