Microbial biogeography along a 2578 km transect on the East Antarctic Plateau
Abstract Microorganisms are present in snow/ice of the Antarctic Plateau, but their biogeography and metabolic state under extreme local conditions are poorly understood. Here, we show the diversity and distribution of microorganisms in air (1.5 m height) and snow/ice down to 4 m depth at three dist...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-55997-6 |
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| author | Victor Parro María Ángeles Lezcano Mercedes Moreno-Paz Alfonso F. Davila Armando Azua-Bustos Miriam García-Villadangos Jacek Wierzchos Miguel Ángel Fernández-Martínez Ramón Larramendi Hilo Moreno Ignacio Oficialdegui Manuel Olivera Miguel Redondo-Nieto Pedro Mustieles-del-Ser Mariusz Potocki Paul Andrew Mayewski Sergi González-Herrero Ana Justel Antonio Quesada |
| author_facet | Victor Parro María Ángeles Lezcano Mercedes Moreno-Paz Alfonso F. Davila Armando Azua-Bustos Miriam García-Villadangos Jacek Wierzchos Miguel Ángel Fernández-Martínez Ramón Larramendi Hilo Moreno Ignacio Oficialdegui Manuel Olivera Miguel Redondo-Nieto Pedro Mustieles-del-Ser Mariusz Potocki Paul Andrew Mayewski Sergi González-Herrero Ana Justel Antonio Quesada |
| author_sort | Victor Parro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Microorganisms are present in snow/ice of the Antarctic Plateau, but their biogeography and metabolic state under extreme local conditions are poorly understood. Here, we show the diversity and distribution of microorganisms in air (1.5 m height) and snow/ice down to 4 m depth at three distant latitudes along a 2578 km transect on the East Antarctic Plateau on board an environmentally friendly, mobile platform. Results demonstrate the widespread distribution of microorganisms in the ice down to at least 4 m depth. Data point to geochemical and bacterial geographic distribution that correlate with wind trajectory and speed, modulated by local gathering and recirculation of microorganisms through snow drifting. Reservoir effects and community selection appear to occur over time, favoring microorganisms best adapted to hypothermal and hyperarid conditions. A new cyanobacterial species (Gloeocapsopsis sp) was isolated from 3 to 4 m depth. Our findings suggest that some microorganisms could exhibit transient, basal metabolic activity when associated to high salt particles, contributing to set biodiversity patterns and biogeographic compartmentalization on Antarctic Plateau ice. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dd118bffa6b647249f1304bf8d53cfad |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-dd118bffa6b647249f1304bf8d53cfad2025-01-19T12:31:35ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-0116111010.1038/s41467-025-55997-6Microbial biogeography along a 2578 km transect on the East Antarctic PlateauVictor Parro0María Ángeles Lezcano1Mercedes Moreno-Paz2Alfonso F. Davila3Armando Azua-Bustos4Miriam García-Villadangos5Jacek Wierzchos6Miguel Ángel Fernández-Martínez7Ramón Larramendi8Hilo Moreno9Ignacio Oficialdegui10Manuel Olivera11Miguel Redondo-Nieto12Pedro Mustieles-del-Ser13Mariusz Potocki14Paul Andrew Mayewski15Sergi González-Herrero16Ana Justel17Antonio Quesada18Centro de Astrobiologia (CAB), INTA-CSICCentro de Astrobiologia (CAB), INTA-CSICCentro de Astrobiologia (CAB), INTA-CSICNASA Ames Research CenterCentro de Astrobiologia (CAB), INTA-CSICCentro de Astrobiologia (CAB), INTA-CSICMuseo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSICCentro de Astrobiologia (CAB), INTA-CSICWindSled, Tierras PolaresWindSled, Tierras PolaresWindSled, Tierras PolaresWindSled, Tierras PolaresDepartamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de MadridCentro de Astrobiologia (CAB), INTA-CSICClimate Change Institute, University of MaineClimate Change Institute, University of MaineWSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLFDepartamento de Matemáticas. Universidad Autónoma de MadridCentro de Astrobiologia (CAB), INTA-CSICAbstract Microorganisms are present in snow/ice of the Antarctic Plateau, but their biogeography and metabolic state under extreme local conditions are poorly understood. Here, we show the diversity and distribution of microorganisms in air (1.5 m height) and snow/ice down to 4 m depth at three distant latitudes along a 2578 km transect on the East Antarctic Plateau on board an environmentally friendly, mobile platform. Results demonstrate the widespread distribution of microorganisms in the ice down to at least 4 m depth. Data point to geochemical and bacterial geographic distribution that correlate with wind trajectory and speed, modulated by local gathering and recirculation of microorganisms through snow drifting. Reservoir effects and community selection appear to occur over time, favoring microorganisms best adapted to hypothermal and hyperarid conditions. A new cyanobacterial species (Gloeocapsopsis sp) was isolated from 3 to 4 m depth. Our findings suggest that some microorganisms could exhibit transient, basal metabolic activity when associated to high salt particles, contributing to set biodiversity patterns and biogeographic compartmentalization on Antarctic Plateau ice.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-55997-6 |
| spellingShingle | Victor Parro María Ángeles Lezcano Mercedes Moreno-Paz Alfonso F. Davila Armando Azua-Bustos Miriam García-Villadangos Jacek Wierzchos Miguel Ángel Fernández-Martínez Ramón Larramendi Hilo Moreno Ignacio Oficialdegui Manuel Olivera Miguel Redondo-Nieto Pedro Mustieles-del-Ser Mariusz Potocki Paul Andrew Mayewski Sergi González-Herrero Ana Justel Antonio Quesada Microbial biogeography along a 2578 km transect on the East Antarctic Plateau Nature Communications |
| title | Microbial biogeography along a 2578 km transect on the East Antarctic Plateau |
| title_full | Microbial biogeography along a 2578 km transect on the East Antarctic Plateau |
| title_fullStr | Microbial biogeography along a 2578 km transect on the East Antarctic Plateau |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microbial biogeography along a 2578 km transect on the East Antarctic Plateau |
| title_short | Microbial biogeography along a 2578 km transect on the East Antarctic Plateau |
| title_sort | microbial biogeography along a 2578 km transect on the east antarctic plateau |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-55997-6 |
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