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The Ecological Role of Micro-organisms in the Antarctic Environment PDF

301 Pages·2019·10.01 MB·English
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Springer Polar Sciences Susana Castro-Sowinski E ditor The Ecological Role of Micro- organisms in the Antarctic Environment Springer Polar Sciences Series editor James Ford, Priestley International Centre for Clima, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Springer Polar Sciences Springer Polar Sciences is an interdisciplinary book series that is dedicated to research in the Arctic, sub-Arctic regions, and the Antarctic. In recent years, the polar regions have received increased scientific and public interest. Both the Arctic and Antarctic have been recognized as key regions in the regulation of the global climate, and polar ecosystems have been identified to be particularly susceptible to the ongoing environmental changes. Consequently, the international efforts in polar research have been enhanced considerably, and a wealth of new findings is being produced at a growing rate by the international community of polar researchers. Springer Polar Sciences aims to present a broad platform that will include state- of- the-art research, bringing together both science and humanities to facilitate an exchange of knowledge between the various polar science communities. The Series offers an outlet to publish contributions, monographs, edited works, conference proceedings, etc. Topics and perspectives will be broad and will include, but not be limited to: climate change impacts, environmental change, polar ecology, governance, health, economics, indigenous populations, tourism and resource extraction activities. Books published in the series will appeal to scientists, students, polar researchers and policy makers. More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/15180 Susana Castro-Sowinski Editor The Ecological Role of Micro-organisms in the Antarctic Environment Editor Susana Castro-Sowinski Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences Universidad de la República Montevideo, Uruguay ISSN 2510-0475 ISSN 2510-0483 (electronic) Springer Polar Sciences ISBN 978-3-030-02785-8 ISBN 978-3-030-02786-5 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02786-5 Library of Congress Control Number: 2018967764 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland Preface Antarctica, officially a desert and technically the largest reservoir of freshwater, is the world’s most arid place, with very low humidity and temperature, strong winds, and UV irradiation, and an example of an oligotrophic environment. Among the seven continents, Antarctica is the least populous one (up to 4000 researchers and personnel during summer and 1000 in the winter), but it is in fifth place when ranked by size (ca. 5,500,000 mi2, 14,245,000 km2), followed by Europe (3,997,929 mi2, 10,354,636 km2) and Australia/Oceania (2,967,909 mi2, 7,686,884 km2). This con- tinent is a great white silence place (The Great White Silence, a documentary from the filmmaker Herbert Ponting that recorded an expedition in Terra Nova, 1910– 1913) protected by the Antarctic Treaty System (opened for signature in Washington, on December 1, 1959; https://www.ats.aq/e/ats.htm) that established that this is a place of international cooperation, peace, and scientific finding. Despite the harsh environmental conditions found in this continent, molecular phylogenetic and physiological surveys have revealed a vast array of microbial groups within. Antarctica has been considered as a pristine environment, but it con- tinuously receives microbial intruders, a fact mainly supported by the high fre- quency of apparently cosmopolitan species found in snow, ice, and geothermal sites, among others. These microorganisms (native and nonnative ones) have major roles in this oligotrophic environment. They contribute to nutrient cycling and man- age food webs and water/soil/air quality, among others. As a whole, they have a role as regulators of ecosystem processes. This book volume deals with the description of microbial groups and the envi- ronments that they inhabit, with emphasis in their physiological traits and the strate- gies they use to shape the Antarctic environment. Through the different book chapters, the readers will find the description of microbes in terms of their physiol- ogy and metabolism and their ecological roles in the Antarctic environment. The role of bacteria/cyanobacteria, fungi, yeasts, and viruses on different ecosystems, such as rocks, water, soil, plants, glacial environments, and animals, has been intro- duced in a didactic way. However, a few chapters describe the Antarctic microbes in terms of potential genetic source for the development of biotechnological products. v vi Preface Contributions from researchers from Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the United States, and Uruguay have shaped this book. These countries are representing six continents. But, what do they have in common? They have permanent or summer working scientific Antarctic stations that contribute to the knowledge on the Antarctic environment. Montevideo, Uruguay Susana Castro-Sowinski About the Book This book describes how microbes face the harsh conditions found in Antarctica and how they colonize all possible niches. Their presence, abundance, and physiology, with a focus on their roles in the Antarctic environment, is overviewed in this book. A multidisciplinary picture of the microbial diversity in a changing world with a focus on the environmental sustainability of Antarctica has been captured. Through the different book chapters, the readers will find the description of the role of the microbial communities found in Antarctic soil, water, air, plants, rocks and inverte- brates, and how they shape the biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nitrogen. vii Contents Part I T he Role of Microorganisms in the Biogeochemical Cycles in Antarctica 1 Role of Cyanobacteria in the Ecology of Polar Environments ............ 3 Marc W. Van Goethem and Don A. Cowan 2 Patterns of Microorganisms Inhabiting Antarctic Freshwater Lakes with Special Reference to Aquatic Moss Pillars ....................... 25 Ryosuke Nakai, Satoshi Imura, and Takeshi Naganuma 3 Yeast Activities Involved in Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles in Antarctica ........................................................................................... 45 Silvana Vero, Gabriela Garmendia, Adalgisa Martínez-Silveira, Ivana Cavello, and Michael Wisniewski 4 Living with Pigments: The Colour Palette of Antarctic Life ............. 65 Juan José Marizcurrena, María Fernanda Cerdá, Diego Alem, and Susana Castro-Sowinski Part II I nvasive Colonization and Human Perturbations in Antarctic Microbial Ecosystems 5 Horizontal Gene Transfer Elements: Plasmids in Antarctic Microorganisms ...................................................................................... 85 Matías Giménez, Gastón Azziz, Paul R. Gill, and Silvia Batista 6 Diversity and Ecological Roles of Prokaryotes in the Changing Antarctic Marine Environment ................................ 109 Angelina Lo Giudice and Maurizio Azzaro ix x Contents 7 Antarctic Soil Microbial Communities in a Changing Environment: Their Contributions to the Sustainability of Antarctic Ecosystems and the Bioremediation of Anthropogenic Pollution ................................................................... 133 Cecilia G. Flocco, Walter P. Mac Cormack, and Kornelia Smalla 8 Airborne Microorganisms in Antarctica: Transport, Survival and Establishment .................................................................. 163 Katie King-Miaow, Kevin Lee, Teruya Maki, Donnabella LaCap- Bugler, and Stephen David James Archer 9 Molecular Biology of RNA Viruses Isolated in Antarctica ................. 197 Juan Cristina Part III The Ecological Roles of Microorganisms Inhabiting Specific Antarctic Niches 10 The Hidden Life of Antarctic Rocks ..................................................... 221 Vanesa Amarelle, Valentina Carrasco, and Elena Fabiano 11 Marine Fungi Associated with Antarctic Macroalgae ........................ 239 Mayara B. Ogaki, Maria T. de Paula, Daniele Ruas, Franciane M. Pellizzari, César X. García-Laviña, and Luiz H. Rosa 12 Microbial Role in the Ecology of Antarctic Plants .............................. 257 Júnia Schultz and Alexandre Soares Rosado 13 Microbial Symbionts of Antarctic Marine Benthic Invertebrates............................................................................. 277 Angelina Lo Giudice, Maurizio Azzaro, and Stefano Schiaparelli Index ................................................................................................................ 297

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This book provides up-to-date multidisciplinary information regarding microbial physiological groups in terms of their role in the Antarctic ecology. How do microorganisms shape the Antarctic environment? The book presents a thorough overview of the most important physiological microbial groups or m
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