Vascular Plants of the Maritime Antarctic: Origin and Adaptation

Abstract

The question of why only two species of vascular plant have colonized Antarctica has not been fully answered. This review is based on a series of parallel analyses of distribution, ecology, and adaptation on the morphological, cellular, and molecular genetic levels, and addresses the causes of the exclusive adaptation of Deschampsia antarctica Desv. (Poaceae) and Colobanthus quitensis (Kunth) Bartl. The authors conclude that the unique distribution of these species, including the Antarctic Peninsula, is not related to the presence of any specific mechanisms of adaptation to the ex-treme environment, but rather is a result of a gradual adaptation of these taxa to the extreme conditions during the de-velopment of glacial events and wide distribution and a substantial seed bank which could ensure mosaic survival in some ice-free areas, as well as survival through several years of snow and ice cover. Glaciological, molecular, popula-tion and reproduction biology studies are still necessary to deepen our understanding of the timing of the colonization of the region by vascular plants. However, keeping in mind that molecular methods alone are unlikely to give exhaus-tive evidence, application of other adequate methods in the context of the history of Pleistocenic glaciation in the region is also necessary to answer the question

Changes in soluble carbohydrates in polar Caryophyllaceae and Poaceae plants in response to chilling

“…Polar plants have developed specific anatomic and physiological traits which enable them to survive in extreme environments (Parnikoza et al 2011). Resistance to low temperatures, salinity and UV radiation are particularly important determinants of plant survival.…”

Morphological and Ultrastructural Changes of Organelles in Leaf Mesophyll Cells of the Arctic and Antarctic Plants of Poaceae Family Under Cold Influence

“…According to many authors, polar plants are xerophytes (Romero et al, 1999;Lewis-Smith, 2003;Parnikoza et al, 2011) whose specific anatomical features support growth and development in extreme habitats. These features include tracheal elements with a small diameter.…”

Female sporogenesis in the native Antarctic grass Deschampsia antarctica Desv.

“…Unlike P. annua which was introduced to the Antarctic only decades ago, D. antarctica has been present on that continent for around 10 000 years (Lewis-Smith et al 1994). Deschampsia antarctica has developed various adaptive strategies and mechanisms to survive in Antarctica's hostile climate (Barcikowski et al 2001;Giełwanowska and Szczuka 2005;Parnikoza et al 2011;. Its survival was conditioned by specific anatomical and ultrastructural characteristics , in particular high morphological plasticity of organs and organelles, and the ability to modify physiological processes, including the production and accumulation of large amounts of soluble sugars, mainly sucrose, but also 1-kestose, in vegetative tissues (Pastorczyk et al 2014) and diaspores .…”