Antarctic Geothermal Soils Exhibit an Absence of Regional Habitat Generalist Microorganisms.

ABSTRACT: Active geothermal systems are relatively rare in Antarctica and represent metaphorical islands ideal to study microbial dispersal. In this study, we tested the macro-ecological concept that high dispersal rates result in communities being dominated by either habitat generalists or specialists by investigating the microbial communities on four geographically separated geothermal sites on three Antarctic volcanoes (Mts. Erebus, Melbourne, and Rittman). We found that the microbial communities at higher temperature (max 65°C) sites (Tramway Ridge on Erebus and Rittmann) were unique from each other and were dominated by a variety of novel Archaea from class Nitrososphaeria, while lower temperature (max 50°C) sites (Western Crater on Erebus and Melbourne) had characteristically mesophilic commun

SUBMITTER: Noell SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11772915 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature