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Article: Characterization of Chasmoendolithic Community in Miers Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

TitleCharacterization of Chasmoendolithic Community in Miers Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
Authors
Issue Date2014
Citation
Microbial Ecology, 2014, v. 68 n. 2, p. 351-359 How to Cite?
AbstractThe Antarctic Dry Valleys are unable to support higher plant and animal life and so microbial communities dominate biotic ecosystem processes. Soil communities are well characterized, but rocky surfaces have also emerged as a significant microbial habitat. Here, we identify extensive colonization of weathered granite on a landscape scale by chasmoendolithic microbial communities. A transect across north-facing and south-facing slopes plus valley floor moraines revealed 30–100%of available substrate was colonized up to an altitude of 800 m. Communities were assessed at a multidomain level and were clearly distinct from those in surrounding soils and other rock-inhabiting cryptoendolithic and hypolithic communities. All colonized rocks were dominated by the cyanobacterial genus Leptolyngbya (Oscillatoriales), with heterotrophic bacteria, archaea, algae, and fungi also identified. Striking patterns in community distribution were evident with regard to microclimate as determined by aspect. Notably, a shift in cyanobacterial assemblages from Chroococcidiopsis-like phylotypes (Pleurocapsales) on colder–drier slopes, to Synechococcuslike phylotypes (Chroococcales) on warmer–wetter slopes. Greater relative abundance of known desiccation-tolerant bacterial taxa occurred on colder–drier slopes. Archaeal phylotypes indicated halotolerant taxa and also taxa possibly derived from nearby volcanic sources. Among the eukaryotes, the lichen photobiont Trebouxia (Chlorophyta) was ubiquitous, but known lichen-forming fungi were not recovered. Instead, fungal assemblages were dominated by ascomycetous yeasts. We conclude that chasmoendoliths likely constitute a significant geobiological phenomenon at lower elevations in granite-dominated Antarctic Dry Valley systems.
Persistent Identifierhttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/197997
ISSN
2023 Impact Factor: 3.3
2023 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.960
ISI Accession Number ID

 

DC FieldValueLanguage
dc.contributor.authorYung, CCMen_US
dc.contributor.authorChan, YKen_US
dc.contributor.authorLacap-Bugler, DCen_US
dc.contributor.authorPerez-Ortega, Sen_US
dc.contributor.authorde los Rios-Murillo, Aen_US
dc.contributor.authorLee, CKen_US
dc.contributor.authorCary, SCen_US
dc.contributor.authorPointing, SBen_US
dc.date.accessioned2014-06-25T02:38:32Z-
dc.date.available2014-06-25T02:38:32Z-
dc.date.issued2014en_US
dc.identifier.citationMicrobial Ecology, 2014, v. 68 n. 2, p. 351-359en_US
dc.identifier.issn0095-3628-
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/197997-
dc.description.abstractThe Antarctic Dry Valleys are unable to support higher plant and animal life and so microbial communities dominate biotic ecosystem processes. Soil communities are well characterized, but rocky surfaces have also emerged as a significant microbial habitat. Here, we identify extensive colonization of weathered granite on a landscape scale by chasmoendolithic microbial communities. A transect across north-facing and south-facing slopes plus valley floor moraines revealed 30–100%of available substrate was colonized up to an altitude of 800 m. Communities were assessed at a multidomain level and were clearly distinct from those in surrounding soils and other rock-inhabiting cryptoendolithic and hypolithic communities. All colonized rocks were dominated by the cyanobacterial genus Leptolyngbya (Oscillatoriales), with heterotrophic bacteria, archaea, algae, and fungi also identified. Striking patterns in community distribution were evident with regard to microclimate as determined by aspect. Notably, a shift in cyanobacterial assemblages from Chroococcidiopsis-like phylotypes (Pleurocapsales) on colder–drier slopes, to Synechococcuslike phylotypes (Chroococcales) on warmer–wetter slopes. Greater relative abundance of known desiccation-tolerant bacterial taxa occurred on colder–drier slopes. Archaeal phylotypes indicated halotolerant taxa and also taxa possibly derived from nearby volcanic sources. Among the eukaryotes, the lichen photobiont Trebouxia (Chlorophyta) was ubiquitous, but known lichen-forming fungi were not recovered. Instead, fungal assemblages were dominated by ascomycetous yeasts. We conclude that chasmoendoliths likely constitute a significant geobiological phenomenon at lower elevations in granite-dominated Antarctic Dry Valley systems.en_US
dc.languageengen_US
dc.relation.ispartofMicrobial Ecologyen_US
dc.titleCharacterization of Chasmoendolithic Community in Miers Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarcticaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
dc.identifier.emailChan, YK: yukicyk@hku.hken_US
dc.identifier.emailLacap-Bugler, DC: dclacap@hkusua.hku.hken_US
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s00248-014-0412-7en_US
dc.identifier.pmid24671755-
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-84904547176-
dc.identifier.hkuros229606en_US
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000339735300017-
dc.identifier.issnl0095-3628-

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