Taxonomic and functional characterization of a microbial community from a volcanic englacial ecosystem in Deception Island, Antarctica.

ABSTRACT: Glaciers are populated by a large number of microorganisms including bacteria, archaea and microeukaryotes. Several factors such as solar radiation, nutrient availability and water content greatly determine the diversity and abundance of these microbial populations, the type of metabolism and the biogeochemical cycles. Three ecosystems can be differentiated in glaciers: supraglacial, subglacial and englacial ecosystems. Firstly, the supraglacial ecosystem, sunlit and oxygenated, is predominantly populated by photoautotrophic microorganisms. Secondly, the subglacial ecosystem contains a majority of chemoautotrophs that are fed on the mineral salts of the rocks and basal soil. Lastly, the englacial ecosystem is the least studied and the one that contains the smallest number of microorganisms

SUBMITTER: Martinez-Alonso E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6704131 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature