Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
In recent decades, polar regions of the planet have witnessed an increase in human presence. Antarctica is considered one of the most pristine regions of the world, but it could be affected by pollution owing to anthropogenic activities, particularly in the Antarctic Peninsula. Human presence can increase the levels of some trace metals in Antarctic environments, an issue that needs to be evaluated. To acquire data of trace metal contamination in the Antarctic Peninsula region, concentrations (dry weight) of Cd, Pb, As, Cu, Hg and Zn in fresh excrement of Adélie penguins were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. During the 2012/2013 austral summer, samples were collected from four important nesting sites on the Antarctic Peninsula: Arctowski Base, Kopaitic Island (both sites in the northern Antarctic Peninsula), Yalour Island and Avian Island (both sites in the southern Antarctic Peninsula). Data showed that Adélie penguin excreta had significantly higher levels (mg·kg-1) of As, Cd, Hg, Pb and Cu at Arctowski Base and Kopaitic Island, both sites that have major anthropogenic activities that probably contributed to increased metal levels. The levels of trace metals in Adélie penguins were similar to those reported in excreta of Antarctic species in previous studies, and lower than those in excreta of other Antarctic animals. Data suggest that metals ingested by these penguin species that feed in the sea, end up in terrestrial ecosystems.
Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
Historical and novel data on the geographic and bathymetric distribution of ascidians from Antarctic, Magellan and Chilean waters are compiled, and an inventory of taxa comprising 162 species reported over a 150 year period from the Antarctic region South Polar Province (SPP) compiled. The ascidian fauna from the South Shetland Islands (SSI) is compared with that of the Magellan region, Patagonia and the Chilean coast. We collected 46 ascidian species along the Chilean coast, and during four expeditions to King George Island (SSI) by SCUBA between 2003–2012. About 15% of King George Island (SSI) species are observed to occur also in shallow waters of southern Chile (SCL). Few species known from warm temperate southeastern Pacific (Northern Chile, NCL) waters are absent from the Chilean part of the Magellan Province (SCL). With most data contributed from the Chilean coast coming from the SCL, and with limited sampling having been undertaken at depths exceeding 100 m in the NCL, apparent differences in species richness along the Chilean coast could be attributabed to differential sampling effort. We detail 12 species from our Antarctic and Chilean collections in detail, including one, Diplosoma listerianum, not previously reported from Chilean waters, and the genus Botryllus, previously known from them on the basis of a single record.
Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
The presence and diversity of class 1 integrase gene (intI) sequences were evaluated by PCR using previously designed primers. Two clone libraries were constructed from DNA in sediment and microbial mat samples collected on Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica.The libraries constructed from samples collected at Halfthree Point (HP) and Norma Cove (NC) contained 62 and 36 partial
Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
Soil enzyme activities can be used as indicators of microbial activity and soil fertility. In this paper, the activities of invertase (IA), phosphatase (PA) and urease (UA) were investigated in tundra soils collected from marine animal colonies, areas of human activity and background areas on Fildes Peninsula, maritime Antarctica. Soil enzyme activities were in the range of 1.0– 82.7 mg·kg−1·h-1 for IA, 0.2–8.2 mg·kg−1·h-1 for PA and 0.2–39.8 mg·kg−1·h-1 for UA. The spatial distribution patterns for soil enzyme activities corresponded strongly with marine animal activity and human activity. Significantly higher soil IA and PA activities occurred in penguin colony soils, whereas seal colony soils showed higher UA activity. Statistical analysis indicated that soil IA activity was controlled by the levels of soil nutrients (TOC, TN and TP), PA activity was closely related with TP, and UA activity was affected by the soil pH. Overall, the deposition amount of penguin guano or seal excreta could impact the distribution of enzyme activity in Antarctic tundra soils. Multiple stepwise regression models were established between the enzyme activities, soil physicochemical properties and heavy metals Cu and Zn ([IA]=0.7[TP]–0.2[Cu]+22.3[TN]+15.1, [PA]=0.3[TP]+0.03[Mc]+0.2, [UA]=16.7[pH]–0.5[Cu]+ 0.4[Zn]–72.6). These models could be used to predict enzyme activities in the tundra soils, which could be helpful to study the effects of marine animal activity and environmental change on tundra ecosystems in maritime Antarctica.
Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
Concentrations of chlorophyll-
Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
We examined the influences upon nutrient, temperature, salinity and chlorophyll
Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
It is estimated that more than three quarters of the Earth’s biosphere is in perennially cold environments. Despite the extreme environmental conditions of desiccation and freezing, microbes can colonize these habitats through the adaptation of metabolic functions and the synthesis of structurally adapted enzymes. Enzymes within psychrophilic microbes exhibit high specific activity at low and moderate temperature, with low thermostability. In this study we used a classic microbiological approach to isolate Antarctic bacteria with cellulolytic, lipolytic, and ligninolytic activities. From 15 different environmental samples, we generated a collection of approximately 800 bacterial isolates that could grow on R2A or Marine medium at 4°C. This collection was then screened for the presence of the three types of activity at 4°C. We found that 47.7% of the isolates displayed lipolytic activity, 10.2% had cellulase/xylanase activity, and 7.7% showed guaiacol oxidase activity. Of these, 10% displayed two different types of activity, while 0.25% displayed all three types of activity. Our results indicate that cold environments represent outstanding resources for bioprospecting and the study of enzymatic adaptation.
Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
This study confirms the presence of 17 coastal terraces on Fildes Peninsula, Antarctica based on field observations and grain size analysis. The terraces formed by isostatic uplift during climate warming and glacier melting, and each level corresponds to a relatively stable period of climate. The grain size characteristics indicate an overlapping sedimentary origin for the sediments on the coastal terraces. The consistency of regional sea level rise, climate change, and glacial area suggest the presence of similar coastal terraces on King George Island since 18.0 ka.
Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
We report the isolation of a cold-adapted bacterium belonging to the genus Janthinobacterium (named AU11), from a water sample collected in Lake Uruguay (King George Island, South Shetlands). AU11 (growth between 4°C and 30°C) produces a single cold-active extracellular protease (ExPAU11), differentially expressed at low temperature. ExPAU11 was identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF MS) as an alkaline metallo-protease (70% coverage with an extracellular protease of Janthinobacterium sp. PI12), and by protease-inhibitor screening identified as a serine-protease. To the best of our knowledge this is the first experimental evidence of a cold-active extracellular protease produced by Janthinobacterium. Furthermore, we identified a serine-protease gene (named JSP8A) showing 60% identity (98% query coverage) to subtilisin peptidases belonging to the S8 family (S8A subfamily) of many cyanobacteria. A phylogenetic analysis of the JSP8A protease, along with related bacterial protein sequences, confirms that JSP8A clusters with S8A subtilisin sequences from different cyanobacteria, and is clearly separated from S8A bacterial sequences of other phyla (including its own). An analysis of the genomic organization around JSP8A suggests that this protease gene was acquired in an event that duplicated a racemase gene involved in transforming L- to D-amino acids. Our results suggest that AU11 probably acquired this subtilisin-like protease gene by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from a cyanobacterium. We discuss the relevance of a bacterial protease-HGT in the Antarctic environment in light of this hypothesis.
Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
A metagenomic fosmid library of approximately 52 000 clones was constructed to identify functional genes encoding cold-adapted enzymes. Metagenomic DNA was extracted from a sample of glacial meltwater, collected on the Antarctic Peninsula during the ANTARKOS XXIX Expedition during the austral summer of 2012-2013. Each clone contained an insert of about 35-40 kb, so the library represented almost 2 Gb of genetic information from metagenomic DNA. Activity-driven screening was used to detect the cold-adapted functions expressed by the library. Fifty lipase/esterase and two cellulase-producing clones were isolated, and two clones able to grow on Avicel® as the sole carbon source. Interestingly, three clones formed a brown precipitate in the presence of manganese (II). Accumulation of manganese oxides was determined with a leucoberbelin blue assay, indicating that these three clones had manganese-oxidizing activity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a manganese oxidase activity detected with a functional metagenomic strategy.
Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
Fildes Peninsula, in King George Island, Antarctica, has a great concentration of international facilities, and it has
clearly been affected by human activities. The objective of this 5-year study was to assess the impact of anthropogenic activities
on the bacterial abundance in water bodies close to Artigas Antarctic Scientific Base (BCAA, in Spanish Base
Abstract (
)
Download PDF (
)
Knowledge map
Save
Meiofaunal communities of three small, shallow freshwater habitats sampled during the austral summer of 2013 in Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, are reported. Communities are dominated by tardigrades (85%), nematodes (11%), and rotifers (3%). Collembola, Oligochaeta, crustacean larvae (nauplii) and unidentified organisms account for 0.3%. Total meiofaunal densities reach 11 770 ind.cm-2, with mean densities (ind.cm.2) of 1 365.83 ± 2 716.65 (Zone A), 523.67 ± 1 166.48 (Zone B) and 72.17 ± 110.78 (Zone C). Given the age of freshwater habitats, and the general lack of higher-trophic level predatory taxa, those species we report are likely early stage colonizers, and these communities are at an early stage of ecological succession. Non-parametrical analysis revealed the main variables influencing meiofaunal density and distribution are related to granulometric characteristics of sediments and microphytobenthic biomass. There were close relationships between meiofaunal abundance and microphytobenthic biomass, which indicates that benthic microalgae significantly influence meiofaunal distribution. A strong correlation between nematode abundance and the percentage of silt, clay and carbon in the sediment was also shown by canonical correspondence analysis and Spearman rank correlation.
沪公网安备 31011502017260号