The Atacama Desert: A Biodiversity Hotspot and Not Just a Mineral-Rich Region

Gómez-Silva, Benito; Batista-García, Ramón Alberto

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.812842

Cited by 20 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…There are now important established Chilean research groups studying the Atacama soil microbial life (Bull et al . 2016, 2018; Gómez‐Silva & Batista‐García 2022); in our analysis, the Antofagasta region, which had most Atacama Desert‐based studies, had a total of 152 sampling sites. The central zone of Chile, around the Metropolitan (49 sampling sites) and the Valparaíso (59 sampling sites) regions, concentrates most of the population (52%), the most traditional and prominent universities and the most crop productive area.…”

Section: Possible Explanations Of the Gaps Foundmentioning

confidence: 92%

Chilean blind spots in soil biodiversity and ecosystem function research

2022

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Soil harbour up to a quarter of the world's biodiversity, substantially contributing to many ecosystem functions and processes. It is significantly important to identify the distribution patterns of soil organisms and their ecosystem functions, to support their conservation efforts and to build policy around them. This has been recently analysed at macroecological scales, but analyses at national or local scales are scarce. Here, we identify and analyse the blind spots in soil taxa and ecosystem functions data in continental Chile. A Web of Science search was conducted focusing on ten soil taxa and four ecosystem functions (nutrient cycling, decomposition, water infiltration and soil respiration). A total of 741 sampling sites were obtained from 239 articles: in 49.25% of these sites, soil biodiversity was studied alone, while this percentage was 32.65% for ecosystem functions. In 18.10% of the sites, both soil biodiversity and ecosystem functions were jointly studied, a surprisingly high percentage compared to global-scale studies. By far, bacteria/fungi and nutrient cycling were the most investigated taxa and function, respectively. Several soil taxa (Acari, Collembola, Nematoda, Formicoidea, Protista, Rotifera) were represented by just a few sampling sites concentrated in specific Chilean regions. Places like the central region (Metropolitan and Valpara ıso administrative Regions), the Atacama Desert (north of the country) and the Valdivian temperate forests (La Araucan ıa, Los R ıos and Los Lagos administrative Regions) present the majority of studies on soil Fungi, Bacteria and nutrient cycling, reflecting the historical interests of well-established research groups. Based on this research, we are identifying the causes of the data blind spots and inviting the Chilean soil ecology community to propose ideas on how to fill them, especially targeting less studied soil taxa and ecosystem functions in neglected regions of Chile.

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Section: Possible Explanations Of the Gaps Foundmentioning

confidence: 92%

Chilean blind spots in soil biodiversity and ecosystem function research

2022

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“…The Atacama Desert is a biodiversity hotspot deserving extensive research and environmental protection; edible Llayta macrocolonies from high-altitude Andean wetlands are another example of its microbial richness [62]. Further studies on the cyanosphere associated to Llayta will render insights into microbial functional capabilities, biosynthetic pathways, and adaptive strategies to the environmental conditions at high-altitude Andean wetlands.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metagenome-Assembled Genome of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY From the Cyanosphere of Llayta, an Edible Andean Cyanobacterial Macrocolony

Dong¹,

Galetovic²,

Gómez-Silva³

2022

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Cyanobacterial macrocolonies known as Llayta are found at Andean wetlands and consumed since pre-Columbian times in South America. Macrocolonies of filamentous cyanobacteria are niches for colonization by other microorganisms; however, the microbiome of edible Llayta has not been explored. Based on a culture-independent approach, we report the presence, identification and metagenomic genome reconstruction of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY associated to Llayta trichomes. The assembled genome of strain LLY is now available for further inquiries, and may be instrumental for taxonomic advances on this genus. All known members of the Cyanocohniella genus have been isolated from salty European habitats. A biogeographic gap for the Cyanocohniella genus is partially filled by the existence of strain LLY at Andes Mountains wetlands in South America as a new habitat. This is the first genome available for members of this genus. Genes involved in primary and secondary metabolism are described providing new insights on the putative metabolic capabilities of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY. The reconstructed genome of strain LLY is now available and instrumental for further inquiries and taxonomic advances on the genus Cyanocohniella.

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“…The Atacama Desert is a biodiversity hotspot deserving extensive research and environmental protection. Edible Llayta macrocolonies from high-altitude Andean wetlands are another example of its microbial richness [ 59 ]. Further studies relating to the cyanosphere associated with Llayta will render insights regarding the microbial functional capabilities, biosynthetic pathways, and adaptive strategies to the environmental conditions in high-altitude Andean wetlands.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metagenome-Assembled Genome of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY from the Cyanosphere of Llayta, an Edible Andean Cyanobacterial Macrocolony

2022

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Cyanobacterial macrocolonies known as Llayta are found in Andean wetlands and have been consumed since pre-Columbian times in South America. Macrocolonies of filamentous cyanobacteria are niches for colonization by other microorganisms. However, the microbiome of edible Llayta has not been explored. Based on a culture-independent approach, we report the presence, identification, and metagenomic genome reconstruction of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY associated to Llayta trichomes. The assembled genome of strain LLY is now available for further inquiries and may be instrumental for taxonomic advances concerning this genus. All known members of the Cyanocohniella genus have been isolated from salty European habitats. A biogeographic gap for the Cyanocohniella genus is partially filled by the existence of strain LLY in Andes Mountains wetlands in South America as a new habitat. This is the first genome available for members of this genus. Genes involved in primary and secondary metabolism are described, providing new insights regarding the putative metabolic capabilities of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY.

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The Atacama Desert: A Biodiversity Hotspot and Not Just a Mineral-Rich Region

Cited by 20 publications

References 48 publications

Chilean blind spots in soil biodiversity and ecosystem function research

Chilean blind spots in soil biodiversity and ecosystem function research

Metagenome-Assembled Genome of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY From the Cyanosphere of Llayta, an Edible Andean Cyanobacterial Macrocolony

Metagenome-Assembled Genome of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY from the Cyanosphere of Llayta, an Edible Andean Cyanobacterial Macrocolony

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