Patterns in the distribution of soil bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences from different regions of Antarctica

Microbiology of Eutrophic (Ornithogenic and Hydrocarbon-Contaminated) Soil

“…Additionally, Cyanobacteria made up nearly 14 % of sequences in the Ellsworth Mountain clone libraries, which was similar to levels observed in soils of Mars Oasis but substantially higher than all other sample sites along the Peninsula (Yergeau et al 2007b). Analysis of this data in a continent-wide study of bacterial distributions found the communities of the Ellsworth Mountains were more similar to those on Alexander Island than to those in Victoria Land, despite being located at the similar latitude to the soils of Victoria Land (Chong et al 2012). …”

“…However, in light of current climate change predictions, the suggested immunity of the continent to these types of introductions is in question. Given several recent studies showing the local and regional uniqueness of soil microbial communities Chong et al 2012), the transfer of soil bacteria between regions of the continent may be of paramount immediate concern to the biosecurity of the ecosystem as repercussions of such transfers are not yet fully understood (Hughes et al 2010;Cowan et al 2011).…”

The spatial structure of Antarctic biodiversity

“…There is increasing molecular and classical biogeographic evidence for ancient radiations and vicariance (e.g., Allegrucci et al 2006, Maslen and Convey 2006, Chown and Convey 2007, and/or expansion from refugial centers within the region itself, and survival through (at least) multiple Pleistocene glacial cycles , McGaughran et al 2010, Mortimer et al 2011a). Even apparently highly dispersible groups such as some Antarctic soil microbiota carry a strong signal of long-term geographical isolation, suggesting that local radiation on evolutionary timescales has outweighed the influence of incoming dispersers (De Wever et al 2009, Chong et al 2012, Peeters et al 2012). …”

Exploring the Last Continent

“…Even accepting the weaknesses in the biodiversity data available for terrestrial plants and animals, that for most microbiota is minimal (Cowan et al 2011;Chong et al 2012Chong et al , 2013. The importance of microbial autotrophs in polar terrestrial ecosystem processes is well-recognised (Vincent 1988;Wynn-Williams 1993, 1996a.…”

“…However, it remains the case that understanding of their role in ecosystem function -a vital component in ecosystem responses to change -is poorly developed. The application of modern molecular biological techniques is now leading to a rapid, although spatially focused, increase in microbial diversity and functional data (Chong et al 2012(Chong et al , 2013Pearce et al 2012;Chan et al 2013).…”