Abstract
Only 0.33 % of the Antarctic land surface area is free of ice, with much of this area representing fell-field environments. Antarctic fell-fields are a type of tundra ecosystem that are generally nutrient-limited (especially N) and have a sparse cover of vegetation that is dominated by lichen or bryophytes, although dense vegetative cover and even vascular plants can be present in moister fell-field habitats. Environmental conditions are generally unfavourable in fell-field Antarctic environments, but these soils are spectacular in terms of the diversity of conditions that they offer for microbial life. This is reflected in the variety of microbial taxa and functions that can be found in these environments. Several factors were identified as having strong influences on the microbial communities inhabiting Antarctic fell-field soils, including water, temperature, plants, birds and pH. This chapter reviews microbiological studies that have been carried out in Antarctic fell-field soils.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Adams DG, Bergman B, Nierzwicki-Bauer SA et al (2006) Cyanobacterial-plant symbioses. Prokaryotes: Evol Electron Res Microbiol Community 331–363
Aislabie JM, Chhour K-L, Saul DJ, Miyauchi S, Ayton J, Paetzold RF, Balks MR (2006) Dominant bacteria in soils of marble point and Wright valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica. Soil Biol Biochem 38:3041–3056
Azmi OR, Seppelt RD (1998) The broad-scale distribution of microfungi in the Windmill islands region, continental Antarctica. Polar Biol 19:92–100
Bailey AD, Wynn-Williams DD (1982) Soil microbiological studies at Signy Island, South Orkney islands. Brit Antarct Surv Bull 51:167–191
Block W (1984) Terrestrial microbiology, invertebrates and ecosystems. Antarct Ecol 1:163–236
Block W, Lewis Smith RI, Kennedy AD (2009) Strategies of survival and resource exploitation in the Antarctic fellfield ecosystem. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 84:449–484
Bokhorst S, Huiskes AHL, Convey P, Aerts R (2007a) Climate change effects on organic matter decomposition rates in ecosystems from the Maritime Antarctic and Falkland islands. Glob Change Biol 13:2642–2653
Bokhorst S, Huiskes AHL, Convey P, Aerts R (2007b) External nutrient inputs into terrestrial ecosystems of the Falkland islands and the maritime Antarctic region. Polar Biol 30:1315–1321
Bölter M (1990) Evaluation—by cluster analysis—of descriptors for the establishment of significant subunits in Antarctic soils. Ecol Model 50:79–94
Bölter M (1992) Environmental conditions and microbiological properties from soils and lichens from Antarctica (Casey Station, Wilkes Land). Polar Biol 11:591–599
Bölter M (1995) Distribution of bacterial numbers and biomass in soils and on plants from King George Island (Arctowski Station, maritime Antarctica). Polar Biol 15:115–124
Bölter M, Blume HP, Schneider D, Beyer L (1997) Soil properties and distributions of invertebrates and bacteria from King George Island (Arctowski Station), maritime Antarctic. Polar Biol 18:295–304
Brinkmann M, Pearce DA, Convey P, Ott S (2007) The cyanobacterial community of polygon soils at an inland Antarctic nunatak. Polar Biol 30:1505–1511
Brinkmeyer R, Knittel K, Jurgens J, Weyland H, Amann R, Helmke E (2003) Diversity and structure of bacterial communities in Arctic versus Antarctic pack ice. Appl Environ Microbiol 69:6610–6619
Brodie EL, DeSantis TZ, Joyner DC, Baek SM, Larsen JT, Andersen GL, Hazen TC, Richardson PM, Herman DJ, Tokunaga TK, Wan JM, Firestone MK (2006) Application of a high-density oligonucleotide microarray approach to study bacterial population dynamics during uranium reduction and reoxidation. Appl Environ Microbiol 72:6288–6298
Chong CW, Dunn MJ, Convey P, Tan GYA, Wong RCS, Tan IKP (2009) Environmental influences on bacterial diversity of soils on Signy Island, maritime Antarctic. Polar Biol 32:1571–1582
Chong CW, Pearce DA, Convey P, Tan GYA, Wong RCS, Tan IKP (2010) High levels of spatial heterogeneity in the biodiversity of soil prokaryotes on Signy Island, Antarctica. Soil Biol Biochem 42:601–610
Chong CW, Pearce DA, Convey P, Tan IKP (2012) The identification of environmental parameters which could influence soil bacterial community composition on the Antarctic Peninsula-a statistical approach. Antarct Sci 24:249–258
Christie P (1987) Nitrogen in two contrasting Antarctic bryophyte communities. J Ecol 75:73–94
Christie P, Nicolson TH (1983) Are mycorrhizas absent from the Antarctic? Trans Brit Mycol Soc 80:557–560
Christner BC, Mosley-Thompson E, Thompson LG, Reeve JN (2001) Isolation of bacteria and 16S rDNAs from lake Vostok accretion ice. Environ Microbiol 3:570–577
Clarke A (2003) Evolution, adaptation and diversity: global ecology in an Antarctic context. Antarct Biol Glob Context 3–17
Convey P (1996) The influence of environmental characteristics on life history attributes of Antarctic terrestrial biota. Biol Rev 71:191–225
Convey P (2001) Antarctic ecosystems. Encycl Biodivers 171–184
Convey P (2003) Maritime Antarctic climate change: signals from terrestrial biology. Antarct Res Ser 79:145–158
Cowan DA, Ah Tow L (2004) Endangered Antarctic environments. Annu Rev Microbiol 58:649–690
Davis RC (1981) Structure and function of two Antarctic terrestrial moss communities. Ecol Monogr 51:125–143
Davis RC (1986) Environmental-factors influencing decomposition rates in two Antarctic moss communities. Polar Biol 5:95–103
Del Frate G, Caretta G (1990) Fungi isolated from antarctic material. Polar Biol 11:1–7
DeMars BG, Boerner REJ (1995) Mycorrhizal status of Deschampsia antarctica in the Palmer Station area, Antarctica. Mycologia 87:451–453
DeSantis TZ, Brodie EL, Moberg JP, Zubieta IX, Piceno YM, Andersen GL (2007) High-density universal 16S rRNA microarray analysis reveals broader diversity than typical clone library when sampling the environment. Microbiol Ecol 53:371–383
Finlay BJ (2002) Global dispersal of free-living microbial eukaryote species. Science 296:1061–1063
Fowbert JA, Smith RIL (1994) Rapid population increases in native vascular plants in the Argentine islands, Antarctic peninsula. Arct Alp Res 26:290–296
Fox AJ, Paul A, Cooper R (1994) Measured properties of the Antarctic ice sheet derived from the SCAR Antarctic digital database. Polar Rec 30:201–206
Gray NF, Smith RIL (1984) The distribution of nematophagous fungi in the maritime Antarctic. Mycopathologia 85:81–92
Greene SW, Gressitt JL, Koob D, Llano GA, Rudolph ED, Singer R, Steere WC, Ugolini FC (1967) Terrestrial life of Antarctica. Antarct Map Folio Ser 5:1–24
Harris JM, Tibbles BJ (1997) Factors affecting bacterial productivity in soils on isolated inland nunataks in continental Antarctica. Microbiol Ecol 33:106–123
Hill PW, Farrar J, Roberts P, Farrell M, Grant H, Newsham KK, Hopkins DW, Bardgett RD, Jones DL (2011) Vascular plant success in a warming Antarctic may be due to efficient nitrogen acquisition. Nat Clim Change 1:50–53
Hopkins DW, Sparrow AD, Novis PM, Gregorich EG, Elberling B, Greenfield LG (2006) Controls on the distribution of productivity and organic resources in Antarctic dry valley soils. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 273:2687–2695
Hughes KA, McCartney HA, Lachlan-Cope TA, Pearce DA (2004) A preliminary study of airborne microbial biodiversity over peninsular Antarctica. Cell Mol Biol 50:537–542
Ino Y, Nakatsubo T (1986) Distribution of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in a moss community—soil system developed on a cold desert in Antarctica. Ecol Res 1:59–69
Jonasson S, Michelsen A, Schmidt IK (1999) Coupling of nutrient cycling and carbon dynamics in the Arctic, integration of soil microbial and plant processes. Appl Soil Ecol 11:135–146
Jumpponen A, Newsham KK, Neises DJ (2003) Filamentous ascomycetes inhabiting the rhizoid environment of the liverwort Cephaloziella varians in Antarctica are assessed by direct PCR and cloning. Mycologia 95:457–466
Kaštovská K, Elster J, Stibal M, Šantrůčková H (2005) Microbial assemblages in soil microbial succession after glacial retreat in Svalbard (high Arctic). Microbiol Ecol 50:396–407
Kennedy AD (1995) Antarctic terrestrial ecosystem response to global environmental-change. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 26:683–704
Kerry E (1990) Effects of temperature on growth-rates of fungi from sub-Antarctic Macquarie island and Casey, Antarctica. Polar Biol 10:293–299
Kowalchuk GA, Buma DS, de Boer W, Klinkhamer PGL, van Veen JA (2002) Effects of above-ground plant species composition and diversity on the diversity of soil-borne microorganisms. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 81:509–520
Lawley B, Ripley S, Bridge P, Convey P (2004) Molecular analysis of geographic patterns of eukaryotic diversity in Antarctic soils. Appl Environ Microbiol 70:5963–5972
Line MA (1988) Microbial-flora of some soils of Mawson base and the Vestfold hills, Antarctica. Polar Biol 8:421–427
Line MA (1992) Nitrogen-fixation in the sub-antarctic Macquarie island. Polar Biol 11:601–606
Malosso E, English L, Hopkins DW, O’Donnell AG (2004) Use of 13C-labelled plant materials and ergosterol, PLFA and NLFA analyses to investigate organic matter decomposition in Antarctic soil. Soil Biol Biochem 36:165–175
Marshall WA (1996) Biological particles over Antarctica. Nature 383:680
Mataloni G, Tell G, Wynn-Williams DD (2000) Structure and diversity of soil algal communities from Cierva point (Antarctic peninsula). Polar Biol 23:205–211
Melick DR, Bolter M, Moller R (1994) Rates of soluble carbohydrate utilization in soils from the Windmill islands oasis, Wilkes land, continental Antarctica. Polar Biol 14:59–64
Melick DR, Seppelt RD (1992) Loss of soluble carbohydrates and changes in freezing-point of Antarctic bryophytes after leaching and repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Antarct Sci 4:399–404
Moodley K (2004) Microbial diversity of Antarctic dry valley mineral soil. Univ of West Cape, p 113
Moosvi SA, McDonald IR, Pearce DA, Kelly DP, Wood AP (2005) Molecular detection and isolation from Antarctica of methylotrophic bacteria able to grow with methylated sulfur compounds. Syst Appl Microbiol 28:541–554
Newsham KK, Rolf J, Pearce DA, Strachan RJ (2004) Differing preferences of Antarctic soil nematodes for microbial prey. Eur J Soil Biol 40:1–8
Opelt K, Berg G (2004) Diversity and antagonistic potential of bacteria associated with bryophytes from nutrient-poor habitats of the Baltic sea coast. Appl Environ Microbiol 70:6569–6579
Pandey KD, Kashyap AK, Gupta RK (1992) Nitrogen-fixation by Cyanobacteria associated with moss communities in Schirmacher-Oasis, Antarctica. Isr J Bot 41:187–198
Pearce DA (2005) The structure and stability of the bacterioplankton community in Antarctic freshwater lakes, subject to extremely rapid environmental change. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 53:61–72
Pearce DA, van der Gast CJ, Lawley B, Ellis-Evans JC (2003) Bacterioplankton community diversity in a maritime Antarctic lake, determined by culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 45:59–70
Peat HJ, Clarke A, Convey P (2006) Diversity and biogeography of the Antarctic flora. J Biogeogr 34:132–146
Peck LS, Convey P, Barnes DKA (2006) Environmental constraints on life histories in Antarctic ecosystems: tempos, timings and predictability. Biol Rev 81:75–109
Pegler DN, Spooner BM, Smith RIL (1980) Higher fungi of the Antarctica, the Subantarctic zone and Falkland islands. Kew Bull 35:499–562
Prosser JI (2007) Microorganisms cycling soil nutrients and their diversity. Mod Soil Microbiol 2:237–261
Pugh GJF, Allsopp D (1982) Microfungi on Signy island, south Orkney islands. Brit Antarct Surv Bull 57:55–67
Read DJ, Duckett JG, Francis R, Ligrone R, Russell A (2000) Symbiotic fungal associations in ‘lower’ land plants. Philos Trans Roy Soc B 355:815–830
Robinson CH (2001) Cold adaptation in Arctic and Antarctic fungi. New Phytol 151:341–353
Romanovskaya VA, Rokitko PV, Malashenko YR, Krishtab TP, Chernaya NA (1999) Sensitivity of soil bacteria isolated from the alienated zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant to various stress factors. Microbiology 68:465–469
Romanovskaya VA, Rokitko PV, Mikheev AN, Gushcha NI, Malashenko YR, Chernaya NA (2002) The effect of gamma-radiation and desiccation on the viability of the soil bacteria isolated from the alienated zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Microbiology 71:608–613
Romanovskaya VA, Shilin S, Chernaia N, Tashirev A, Malashenko I, Rokitko P (2005) Search for psychrophilic methylotrophic bacteria in biotopes of the Antarctica. Mikrobiol Z 67:3–8
Romanovskaya VA, Sokolov IG, Malashenko YR, Rokitko PV (1998) Mutability of epiphytic and soil bacteria of the genus Methylobacterium and their resistance to ultraviolet and ionizing radiation. Microbiology 67:89–97
Roser DJ, Melick DR, Ling HU, Seppelt RD (1992) Polyol and sugar content of terrestrial plants from continental Antarctica. Antarct Sci 4:413–420
Rudolph ED (1971) Ecology of land plants in Antarctica. Res Antarct 191–211
Schlensog M, Pannewitz S, Green TGA, Schroeter B (2004) Metabolic recovery of continental Antarctic cryptogams after winter. Polar Biol 27:399–408
Segawa T, Miyamoto K, Ushida K, Agata K, Okada N, Kohshima S (2005) Seasonal change in bacterial flora and biomass in mountain snow from the Tateyama mountains, Japan, analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and real-time PCR. Appl Environ Microb 71:123–130
Sjoling S, Cowan DA (2003) High 16S rDNA bacterial diversity in glacial meltwater lake sediment, Bratina island, Antarctica. Extremophiles 7:275–282
Smalla K, Wieland G, Buchner A, Zock A, Parzy J, Kaiser S, Roskot N, Heuer H, Berg G (2001) Bulk and rhizosphere soil bacterial communities studied by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis: plant-dependent enrichment and seasonal shifts revealed. Appl Environ Microbiol 67:4742–4751
Smith HG (1992) Distribution and ecology of the testate rhizopod fauna of the continental Antarctic zone. Polar Biol 12:629–634
Smith JJ, Tow LA, Stafford W, Cary C, Cowan DA (2006) Bacterial diversity in three different Antarctic cold desert mineral soils. Microb Ecol 51:413–421
Smith MJ, Walton DMH (1985) A statistical analysis of the relationships among viable microbial populations, vegetation, and environment in a subantarctic tundra. Microb Ecol 11:245–257
Smith RIL (1984) Terrestrial plant biology of the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic. Antarct Ecol 61–162
Smith RIL (1994a) Species-diversity and resource relationships of South Georgian fungi. Antarct Sci 6:45–52
Smith RIL (1994b) Vascular plants as bioindicators of regional warming in Antarctica. Oecologia 99:322–328
Smith VR, Steenkamp M (1990) Climatic change and its ecological implications at a subantarctic island. Oecologia 85:14–24
Smith VR, Steenkamp M (1992) Soil macrofauna and nitrogen on a sub-Antarctic island. Oecologia 92:201–206
Sohlenius B, Boström S (2005) The geographic distribution of metazoan microfauna on East Antarctic nunataks. Polar Biol 28:439–448
Solheim B, Wiggen H, Roberg S, Spaink HP (2004) Associations between Arctic cyanobacteria and mosses. Symbiosis 37:169–187
Tearle PV (1987) Cryptogamic carbohydrate release and microbial response during freeze—thaw cycles in Antarctic fellfield fines. Soil Biol Biochem 19:381–390
Teixeira L, Peixoto R, Curry J, Sul WJ, Pellizari V, Tiedje JM, Rosado AS (2010) Bacterial diversity in rhizosphere soil from Antarctic vascular plants of admiralty bay, maritime Antarctica. ISME J 4:989–1001
Teixeira LCRS, Yergeau E, Balieiro FC, Piccolo MC, Peixoto RS, Rosado AS, Greer CW (2013) Plant and bird presence strongly influences the microbial communities in soils of admirality bay. Maritime Antarctica, PLoS One 8:e66109
Tindall BJ (2004) Prokaryotic diversity in the Antarctic: the tip of the iceberg. Microb Ecol 47:271–283
Tosi S, Casado B, Gerdol R, Caretta G (2002) Fungi isolated from Antarctic mosses. Polar Biol 25:262–268
Tosi S, Onofri S, Brusoni M, Zucconi L, Vishniac H (2005) Response of Antarctic soil fungal assemblages to experimental warming and reduction of UV radiation. Polar Biol 28:470–482
Trusova MY, Gladyshev MI (2002) Phylogenetic diversity of winter bacterioplankton of eutrophic Siberian reservoirs as revealed by 16S rRNA gene sequences. Microb Ecol 44:252–259
Upson R, Read DJ, Newsham KK (2007) Widespread association between the ericoid mycorrhizal fungus Rhizoscyphus ericae and a leafy liverwort in the maritime and sub-Antarctic. New Phytol 176:460–471
Vincent WF (1988) Microbial ecosystems of Antarctica. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p 304
Vincent WF (2000) Evolutionary origins of Antarctic Microbiota: invasion, selection and endemism. Antarct Sci 12:374–385
Vishniac HS (1993) The microbiology of Antarctic soils. Antarct Microbiol 297–341
Wall DH, Virginia RA (1999) Controls on soil biodiversity: insights from extreme environments. Appl Soil Ecol 13:137–150
Walton DWH (1985) Cellulose decomposition and its relationship to nutrient cycling at South Georgia. Antarct Nutrient Cycling Food Webs, pp 192–199
Wery N, Gerike U, Sharman A, Chaudhuri JB, Hough DW, Danson MJ (2003) Use of a packed-column bioreactor for isolation of diverse protease-producing bacteria from antarctic soil. Appl Environ Microbiol 69:1457–1464
Williams PG, Roser DJ, Seppelt RD (1994) Mycorrhizas of hepatics in continental antarctica. Mycol Res 98:34–36
Wynn-Williams DD (1980) Seasonal fluctuations in microbial activity in Antarctic moss peat. Biol J Linn Soc 14:11–28
Wynn-Williams DD (1982) Simulation of seasonal changes in microbial activity of maritime Antarctic peat. Soil Biol Biochem 14:1–12
Wynn-Williams DD (1990) Ecological aspects of Antarctic microbiology. Adv Microbiol Ecol 11:71–146
Wynn-Williams DD (1996) Antarctic microbial diversity: the basis of polar ecosystem processes. Biodivers Conserv 5:1271–1293
Yanai Y, Toyota K, Okazaki M (2004) Effects of successive soil freeze–thaw cycles on soil microbial biomass and organic matter decomposition potential of soils. Soil Sci Plant Nutrition 50:821–829
Yergeau E, Bokhorst S, Huiskes AHL, Boschker HTS, Aerts R, Kowalchuk GA (2007a) Size and structure of bacterial, fungal and nematode communities along an Antarctic environmental gradient. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 59:436–451
Yergeau E, Bokhorst S, Kang S, Zhou JZ, Greer CW, Aerts R, Kowalchuk GA (2012) Shifts in soil microorganisms in response to warming are consistent across a range of Antarctic environments. ISME J 6:692–702
Yergeau E, Kang S, He Z, Zhou J, Kowalchuk GA (2007b) Functional microarray analysis of nitrogen and carbon cycling genes across an Antarctic latitudinal transect. ISME J 1:163–179
Yergeau E, Kowalchuk GA (2008) Responses of Antarctic soil microbial communities and associated functions to temperature and freeze-thaw cycle frequency. Environ Microbiol 10:2223–2235
Yergeau E, Newsham KK, Pearce DA, Kowalchuk GA (2007c) Patterns of bacterial diversity across a range of Antarctic terrestrial habitats. Environ Microbiol 9:2670–2682
Yergeau E, Schoondermark-Stolk SA, Brodie EL, Déjean S, DeSantis TZ, Gonçalves O, Piceno YM, Andersen GL, Kowalchuk GA (2009) Environmental microarray analyses of Antarctic soil microbial communities. ISME J 3:340–351
Zucconi L, Pagano S, Fenice M, Selbmann L, Tosi S, Onofri S (1996) Growth temperature preferences of fungal strains from Victoria land, Antarctica. Polar Biol 16:53–61
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Yergeau, E. (2014). Fell-Field Soil Microbiology. In: Cowan, D. (eds) Antarctic Terrestrial Microbiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-45213-0_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-45213-0_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-45212-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-45213-0
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)