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Dong W, Wang G, Sun J, Guo L, Chang R, Wang W, Wang Y, Sun X. Plant water source effects on plant-soil feedback for primary succession of terrestrial ecosystems in a glacier region in China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172269. [PMID: 38583607 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Despite the extensive research conducted on plant-soil-water interactions, the understanding of the role of plant water sources in different plant successional stages remains limited. In this study, we employed a combination of water isotopes (δ2H and δ18O) and leaf δ13C to investigate water use patterns and leaf water use efficiency (WUE) during the growing season (May to September 2021) in Hailuogou glacier forefronts in China. Our findings revealed that surface soil water and soil nutrient gradually increased during primary succession. Dominant plant species exhibited a preference for upper soil water uptake during the peak leaf out period (June to August), while they relied more on lower soil water sources during the post-leaf out period (May) or senescence (September to October). Furthermore, plants in late successional stages showed higher rates of water uptake from uppermost soil layers. Notably, there was a significant positive correlation between the percentage of water uptake by plants and available soil water content in middle and late stages. Additionally, our results indicated a gradual decrease in WUE with progression through succession, with shallow soil moisture utilization negatively impacting overall WUE across all succession stages. Path analysis further highlighted that surface soil moisture (0- 20 cm) and middle layer nutrient availability (20- 50 cm) played crucial roles in determining WUE. Overall, this research emphasizes the critical influence of water source selection on plant succession dynamics while elucidating underlying mechanisms linking succession with plant water consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenchang Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Genxu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China; Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
| | - Juying Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Li Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Ruiying Chang
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
| | - Wenzhi Wang
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
| | - Yukun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Xiangyang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
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2
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Liu S, Stoof-Leichsenring KR, Harms L, Schulte L, Mischke S, Kruse S, Zhang C, Herzschuh U. Tibetan terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems collapsed with cryosphere loss inferred from sedimentary ancient metagenomics. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadn8490. [PMID: 38781339 PMCID: PMC11114237 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn8490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Glacier and permafrost shrinkage and land-use intensification threaten mountain wildlife and affect nature conservation strategies. Here, we present paleometagenomic records of terrestrial and aquatic taxa from the southeastern Tibetan Plateau covering the last 18,000 years to help understand the complex alpine ecosystem dynamics. We infer that steppe-meadow became woodland at 14 ka (cal BP) controlled by cryosphere loss, further driving a herbivore change from wild yak to deer. These findings weaken the hypothesis of top-down control by large herbivores in the terrestrial ecosystem. We find a turnover in the aquatic communities at 14 ka, transitioning from glacier-related (blue-green) algae to abundant nonglacier-preferring picocyanobacteria, macrophytes, fish, and otters. There is no evidence for substantial effects of livestock herding in either ecosystem. Using network analysis, we assess the stress-gradient hypothesis and reveal that root hemiparasitic and cushion plants are keystone taxa. With ongoing cryosphere loss, the protection of their habitats is likely to be of conservation benefit on the Tibetan Plateau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sisi Liu
- Polar Terrestrial Environmental Systems, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam 14473, Germany
- Institute of Environmental Science and Geography, University of Potsdam, Potsdam 14469, Germany
| | - Kathleen R. Stoof-Leichsenring
- Polar Terrestrial Environmental Systems, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam 14473, Germany
| | - Lars Harms
- Computing and Data Centre, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven 27570, Germany
| | - Luise Schulte
- Polar Terrestrial Environmental Systems, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam 14473, Germany
| | - Steffen Mischke
- Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík 102, Iceland
| | - Stefan Kruse
- Polar Terrestrial Environmental Systems, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam 14473, Germany
| | - Chengjun Zhang
- School of Earth Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 73000, China
| | - Ulrike Herzschuh
- Polar Terrestrial Environmental Systems, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam 14473, Germany
- Institute of Environmental Science and Geography, University of Potsdam, Potsdam 14469, Germany
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam 14476, Germany
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3
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Rassner SME, Cook JM, Mitchell AC, Stevens IT, Irvine-Fynn TDL, Hodson AJ, Edwards A. The distinctive weathering crust habitat of a High Arctic glacier comprises discrete microbial micro-habitats. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16617. [PMID: 38558266 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Sunlight penetrates the ice surfaces of glaciers and ice sheets, forming a water-bearing porous ice matrix known as the weathering crust. This crust is home to a significant microbial community. Despite the potential implications of microbial processes in the weathering crust for glacial melting, biogeochemical cycles, and downstream ecosystems, there have been few explorations of its microbial communities. In our study, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing and shotgun metagenomics of a Svalbard glacier surface catchment to characterise the microbial communities within the weathering crust, their origins and destinies, and the functional potential of the weathering crust metagenome. Our findings reveal that the bacterial community in the weathering crust is distinct from those in upstream and downstream habitats. However, it comprises two separate micro-habitats, each with different taxa and functional categories. The interstitial porewater is dominated by Polaromonas, influenced by the transfer of snowmelt, and exported via meltwater channels. In contrast, the ice matrix is dominated by Hymenobacter, and its metagenome exhibits a diverse range of functional adaptations. Given that the global weathering crust area and the subsequent release of microbes from it are strongly responsive to climate projections for the rest of the century, our results underscore the pressing need to integrate the microbiome of the weathering crust with other communities and processes in glacial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joseph M Cook
- Department of Life Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Andrew C Mitchell
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
| | - Ian T Stevens
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
| | | | - Andrew J Hodson
- Department of Arctic Geology, University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - Arwyn Edwards
- Department of Life Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Department of Arctic Biology, University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Norway
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4
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Ren Z, Gao H. Antibiotic resistance genes in integrated surface ice, cryoconite, and glacier-fed stream in a mountain glacier in Central Asia. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 184:108482. [PMID: 38324929 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Glacier ice, cryoconite, and glacier-fed streams are interconnected features that have important implications for the dynamics and distribution of abiotic and biotic materials. However, the presence and behavior of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) within these glacial environments remained largely unexplored. Addressing this gap, we hypothesized that ARGs are widely distributed and exhibit distinct yet interconnected patterns of diversity and dynamics in these glacial environments. Here, we investigated ARGs in a mountain glacier in Central Asia. A total of 944 ARGs, spanning 22 antibiotic classes, were identified, with 633 ARGs shared across all three environments. Cryoconite exhibited the highest ARG richness, followed by ice, while stream biofilm displayed the lowest value. Exploring ARG profiles, we observed a consistent pattern in terms of antibiotic class and resistance mechanism across all three environments. Beta-lactam resistance genes exhibited the highest diversity, followed by multidrug, glycopeptide, and MLS. The predominant mechanisms were antibiotic inactivation, antibiotic efflux, and target alteration. The most prevalent ARG is cls, followed by mdfA, ropB, fabI, and macB. The similarity in ARG profiles between surface ice and cryoconite samples was more pronounced than their resemblance to stream biofilm samples. The variations of ARG profiles between any pair of environments were largely contributed by turnover component. Further insights into microbial interactions revealed 2328 significant associations between 80 OTUs and 356 ARGs, indicating complex relationships. Certain OTUs, including those from the genera Polaromonas, Ferruginibacter, Hymenobacter, Phormidesmis, Novosphingobium, and Polymorphobacter, were speculated as potential hosts for a variety of ARGs. Our findings underscore the intricate dynamics of antibiotic resistance in glacial ecosystems, emphasizing the need for a holistic understanding of ARG distribution, diversity, and associations across diverse environmental compartments. This research contributes valuable insights into the potential ecological implications of antibiotic resistance dissemination in cold environments, particularly as influenced by increasing climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Hongkai Gao
- Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science (Ministry of Education), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
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5
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Xing T, Liu K, Ji M, Chen Y, Liu Y. Bacterial diversity in a continuum from supraglacial habitats to a proglacial lake on the Tibetan Plateau. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2024; 371:fnae021. [PMID: 38521984 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnae021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Mountain glaciers are frequently assessed for their hydrological connectivity from glaciers to proglacial lakes. Ecological process on glacier surfaces and downstream ecosystems have often been investigated separately, but few studies have focused on the connectivity between the different glacial habitats. Therefore, it remains a limited understanding of bacterial community assembly across different habitats along the glacier hydrological continuum. In this study, we sampled along a glacial catchment from supraglacial snow, cryoconite holes, supraglacial runoff, ice-marginal moraine and proglacial lake on the Tibetan Plateau. The bacterial communities in these habitats were analyzed using high-throughput DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to determine the bacterial composition and assembly. Our results showed that each habitat hosted unique bacterial communities, with higher bacterial α-diversity in transitional habitats (e.g. runoff and ice-marginal moraine). Null model analysis indicated that deterministic processes predominantly shaped bacterial assembly in snow, cryoconite holes and lake, while stochastic process dominantly governed bacterial community in transitional habitats. Collectively, our findings suggest that local environment play a critical role in filtering bacterial community composition within glacier habitats. This study enhances our understanding of microbial assembly process in glacier environments and provides valuable insights into the factors governing bacterial community compositions across different habitats along the glacial hydrological continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Keshao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Mukan Ji
- Center for the Pan-Third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yuying Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yongqin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Center for the Pan-Third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
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6
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Hay MC, Mitchell AC, Soares AR, Debbonaire AR, Mogrovejo DC, Els N, Edwards A. Metagenome-assembled genomes from High Arctic glaciers highlight the vulnerability of glacier-associated microbiota and their activities to habitat loss. Microb Genom 2023; 9. [PMID: 37937832 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid warming of the Arctic is threatening the demise of its glaciers and their associated ecosystems. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore and understand the diversity of genomes resident within glacial ecosystems endangered by human-induced climate change. In this study we use genome-resolved metagenomics to explore the taxonomic and functional diversity of different habitats within glacier-occupied catchments. Comparing different habitats within such catchments offers a natural experiment for understanding the effects of changing habitat extent or even loss upon Arctic microbiota. Through binning and annotation of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) we describe the spatial differences in taxon distribution and their implications for glacier-associated biogeochemical cycling. Multiple taxa associated with carbon cycling included organisms with the potential for carbon monoxide oxidation. Meanwhile, nitrogen fixation was mediated by a single taxon, although diverse taxa contribute to other nitrogen conversions. Genes for sulphur oxidation were prevalent within MAGs implying the potential capacity for sulphur cycling. Finally, we focused on cyanobacterial MAGs, and those within cryoconite, a biodiverse microbe-mineral granular aggregate responsible for darkening glacier surfaces. Although the metagenome-assembled genome of Phormidesmis priestleyi, the cyanobacterium responsible for forming Arctic cryoconite was represented with high coverage, evidence for the biosynthesis of multiple vitamins and co-factors was absent from its MAG. Our results indicate the potential for cross-feeding to sustain P. priestleyi within granular cryoconite. Taken together, genome-resolved metagenomics reveals the vulnerability of glacier-associated microbiota to the deletion of glacial habitats through the rapid warming of the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie C Hay
- Department of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology (iCEM), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences (DGES), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Present address: Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hertfordshire, UK
| | - Andrew C Mitchell
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology (iCEM), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences (DGES), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
| | - Andre R Soares
- Department of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology (iCEM), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences (DGES), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Present address: Environmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Aliyah R Debbonaire
- Department of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology (iCEM), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
| | - Diana C Mogrovejo
- Dr. Brill + Partner GmbH Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nora Els
- Department of Lake and Glacier Research, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Arwyn Edwards
- Department of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology (iCEM), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Department of Arctic Biology, University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
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7
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Zhang C, Ren Z. The role of subsurface ice in sustaining bacteria in continental and maritime glaciers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 896:165324. [PMID: 37414181 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
In supraglacial environments, surface and subsurface ices are two distinct and connected microhabitats in terms of physicochemical and biological aspects. At the frontline of climate change, glaciers lose tremendous ice masses to downstream ecosystems, serving as crucial sources of both biotic and abiotic materials. In this study, we studied the disparities and relationships of microbial communities between surface and subsurface ices collected from a maritime and a continental glacier during summer. The results showed that surface ices had significantly higher nutrients and were more physiochemically different than subsurface ices. Despite lower nutrients, subsurface ices had higher alpha-diversity with more unique and enriched operational taxonomic units (OTUs) than surface ices, indicating the potential role of subsurface as a bacterial refuge. Sorensen dissimilarity between bacterial communities in surface ices and subsurface ices was mainly contributed by the turnover component, suggesting strong species replacement from surface to subsurface ices due to large environmental gradients. For different glaciers, the maritime glacier had significantly higher alpha-diversity than the continental glacier. The difference between surface and subsurface communities was more pronounced in the maritime glacier than in the continental glacier. The network analysis revealed that surface-enriched and subsurface-enriched OTUs formed independent modules, with surface-enriched OTUs having closer interconnections and greater importance in the network of the maritime glacier. This study highlights the important role of subsurface ice as a bacterial refuge and enriches our knowledge of microbial properties in glaciers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Zhang
- School of Engineering Technology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, China; Instrumentation and Service Center for Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Ze Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
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8
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Bosson JB, Huss M, Cauvy-Fraunié S, Clément JC, Costes G, Fischer M, Poulenard J, Arthaud F. Future emergence of new ecosystems caused by glacial retreat. Nature 2023; 620:562-569. [PMID: 37587299 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06302-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Glacier shrinkage and the development of post-glacial ecosystems related to anthropogenic climate change are some of the fastest ongoing ecosystem shifts, with marked ecological and societal cascading consequences1-6. Yet, no complete spatial analysis exists, to our knowledge, to quantify or anticipate this important changeover7,8. Here we show that by 2100, the decline of all glaciers outside the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets may produce new terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems over an area ranging from the size of Nepal (149,000 ± 55,000 km2) to that of Finland (339,000 ± 99,000 km2). Our analysis shows that the loss of glacier area will range from 22 ± 8% to 51 ± 15%, depending on the climate scenario. In deglaciated areas, the emerging ecosystems will be characterized by extreme to mild ecological conditions, offering refuge for cold-adapted species or favouring primary productivity and generalist species. Exploring the future of glacierized areas highlights the importance of glaciers and emerging post-glacial ecosystems in the face of climate change, biodiversity loss and freshwater scarcity. We find that less than half of glacial areas are located in protected areas. Echoing the recent United Nations resolution declaring 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation9 and the Global Biodiversity Framework10, we emphasize the need to urgently and simultaneously enhance climate-change mitigation and the in situ protection of these ecosystems to secure their existence, functioning and values.
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Affiliation(s)
- J B Bosson
- Asters, Conservatory of Natural Areas of Haute-Savoie, Annecy, France.
| | - M Huss
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - S Cauvy-Fraunié
- INRAE, UR RIVERLY, Centre de Lyon-Villeurbanne, Villeurbanne, France
| | - J C Clément
- Université Savoie Mont Blanc, INRAE, CARRTEL, Thonon-les-Bains, France
| | - G Costes
- Asters, Conservatory of Natural Areas of Haute-Savoie, Annecy, France
| | - M Fischer
- Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - J Poulenard
- Laboratory Environnement Dynamique et Territoire de la Montagne (EDYTEM), Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, Le Bourget-du-Lac, France
| | - F Arthaud
- Université Savoie Mont Blanc, INRAE, CARRTEL, Thonon-les-Bains, France
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9
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Lecomte N. The great melt will shape unprotected ecosystems. Nature 2023; 620:499-500. [PMID: 37587294 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-02490-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
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10
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Roggero A, Giachino PM, Casale A, Allegro G, Fiorito A, Palestrini C. Combination of Morphometric and Morphological Analyses: An Effective Approach for the Study of Platynus from the Italian W Alps (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Platynini). DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15040493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
In the W Italian Alps, an area characterized by considerable environmental complexity, the widespread Platynus were studied by focusing on their species composition. The ecological niche realized by the genus in this area encompasses a preference for humid and cold environments, sometimes associated with altitude. Several specimens from private and public collections were investigated by geometric morphometrics, a powerful technique capable of detecting even minor morphological variation. The quantitative analysis was paired to a qualitative survey of anatomical traits. To classify and discriminate species, external traits (head, pronotum, right elytron) and internal structures (male and female genitalia, mouthparts) were evaluated by direct examination and dissection. The results supported the presence of the five species already known from the study area and also helped to identify four new cryptic taxa to which the specific rank was assigned. They are herein described as Platynus maritimus n. sp., Platynus occitanus n. sp., Platynus simonisi n. sp., and Platynus vignai n. sp.
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11
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Bradley JA, Trivedi CB, Winkel M, Mourot R, Lutz S, Larose C, Keuschnig C, Doting E, Halbach L, Zervas A, Anesio AM, Benning LG. Active and dormant microorganisms on glacier surfaces. GEOBIOLOGY 2023; 21:244-261. [PMID: 36450703 PMCID: PMC10099831 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Glacier and ice sheet surfaces host diverse communities of microorganisms whose activity (or inactivity) influences biogeochemical cycles and ice melting. Supraglacial microbes endure various environmental extremes including resource scarcity, frequent temperature fluctuations above and below the freezing point of water, and high UV irradiance during summer followed by months of total darkness during winter. One strategy that enables microbial life to persist through environmental extremes is dormancy, which despite being prevalent among microbial communities in natural settings, has not been directly measured and quantified in glacier surface ecosystems. Here, we use a combination of metabarcoding and metatranscriptomic analyses, as well as cell-specific activity (BONCAT) incubations to assess the diversity and activity of microbial communities from glacial surfaces in Iceland and Greenland. We also present a new ecological model for glacier microorganisms and simulate physiological state-changes in the glacial microbial community under idealized (i) freezing, (ii) thawing, and (iii) freeze-thaw conditions. We show that a high proportion (>50%) of bacterial cells are translationally active in-situ on snow and ice surfaces, with Actinomycetota, Pseudomonadota, and Planctomycetota dominating the total and active community compositions, and that glacier microorganisms, even when frozen, could resume translational activity within 24 h after thawing. Our data suggest that glacial microorganisms respond rapidly to dynamic and changing conditions typical of their natural environment. We deduce that the biology and biogeochemistry of glacier surfaces are shaped by processes occurring over short (i.e., daily) timescales, and thus are susceptible to change following the expected alterations to the melt-regime of glaciers driven by climate change. A better understanding of the activity of microorganisms on glacier surfaces is critical in addressing the growing concern of climate change in Polar regions, as well as for their use as analogues to life in potentially habitable icy worlds.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A. Bradley
- Queen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
- GFZ German Research Centre for GeosciencesBerlinGermany
| | | | - Matthias Winkel
- GFZ German Research Centre for GeosciencesBerlinGermany
- Bundesanstalt für Risikobewertung (BfR)BerlinGermany
| | - Rey Mourot
- GFZ German Research Centre for GeosciencesBerlinGermany
- Freie University BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Stefanie Lutz
- GFZ German Research Centre for GeosciencesBerlinGermany
| | - Catherine Larose
- Environmental Microbial GenomicsUniversité de LyonEcully CedexFrance
| | | | - Eva Doting
- Environmental ScienceAarhus UniversityRoskildeDenmark
| | - Laura Halbach
- Environmental ScienceAarhus UniversityRoskildeDenmark
| | | | | | - Liane G. Benning
- GFZ German Research Centre for GeosciencesBerlinGermany
- Freie University BerlinBerlinGermany
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12
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Shah AA, Hotaling S, Lapsansky AB, Malison RL, Birrell JH, Keeley T, Giersch JJ, Tronstad LM, Woods HA. Warming undermines emergence success in a threatened alpine stonefly: A multi‐trait perspective on vulnerability to climate change. Funct Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alisha A. Shah
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
- W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, Department of Integrative Biology Michigan State University Hickory Corners Michigan USA
| | - Scott Hotaling
- School of Biological Sciences Washington State University Pullman Washington USA
- Department of Watershed Sciences Utah State University Logan Utah USA
| | - Anthony B. Lapsansky
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
- Department of Zoology University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada
| | - Rachel L. Malison
- Flathead Lake Biological Station University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
| | - Jackson H. Birrell
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
| | - Tylor Keeley
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
| | - J. Joseph Giersch
- Flathead Lake Biological Station University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
| | - Lusha M. Tronstad
- Wyoming Natural Diversity Database University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
| | - H. Arthur Woods
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
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13
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Díaz M, Monfort-Lanzas P, Quiroz-Moreno C, Rivadeneira E, Castillejo P, Arnau V, Díaz W, Agathos SN, Sangari FJ, Jarrín-V P, Molina CA. The microbiome of the ice-capped Cayambe Volcanic Complex in Ecuador. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1154815. [PMID: 37213502 PMCID: PMC10196084 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1154815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
A major challenge in microbial ecology is to understand the principles and processes by which microbes associate and interact in community assemblages. Microbial communities in mountain glaciers are unique as first colonizers and nutrient enrichment drivers for downstream ecosystems. However, mountain glaciers have been distinctively sensitive to climate perturbations and have suffered a severe retreat over the past 40 years, compelling us to understand glacier ecosystems before their disappearance. This is the first study in an Andean glacier in Ecuador offering insights into the relationship of physicochemical variables and altitude on the diversity and structure of bacterial communities. Our study covered extreme Andean altitudes at the Cayambe Volcanic Complex, from 4,783 to 5,583 masl. Glacier soil and ice samples were used as the source for 16S rRNA gene amplicon libraries. We found (1) effects of altitude on diversity and community structure, (2) the presence of few significantly correlated nutrients to community structure, (3) sharp differences between glacier soil and glacier ice in diversity and community structure, where, as quantified by the Shannon γ-diversity distribution, the meta-community in glacier soil showed more diversity than in glacier ice; this pattern was related to the higher variability of the physicochemical distribution of variables in the former substrate, and (4) significantly abundant genera associated with either high or low altitudes that could serve as biomarkers for studies on climate change. Our results provide the first assessment of these unexplored communities, before their potential disappearance due to glacier retreat and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Díaz
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación en Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- Institute of Integrative Systems Biology (ISysBio), University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
- *Correspondence: Magdalena Díaz,
| | - Pablo Monfort-Lanzas
- Institute of Integrative Systems Biology (ISysBio), University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Cristian Quiroz-Moreno
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Erika Rivadeneira
- Instituto de Investigación en Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Pablo Castillejo
- Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS), Universidad de las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad Internacional SEK, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Vicente Arnau
- Institute of Integrative Systems Biology (ISysBio), University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Wladimiro Díaz
- Institute of Integrative Systems Biology (ISysBio), University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Spiros N. Agathos
- Earth and Life Institute (ELI), Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Félix J. Sangari
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), CSIC – Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Pablo Jarrín-V
- Dirección de Innovación, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad INABIO, Quito, Ecuador
| | - C. Alfonso Molina
- Instituto de Investigación en Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- C. Alfonso Molina,
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14
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Ni G, Lappan R, Hernández M, Santini T, Tomkins AG, Greening C. Functional basis of primary succession: Traits of the pioneer microbes. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:171-176. [PMID: 36309943 PMCID: PMC10098604 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gaofeng Ni
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rachael Lappan
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marcela Hernández
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom
| | - Talitha Santini
- School of Agriculture and Environment, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Andrew G Tomkins
- School of Earth, Atmosphere & Environment, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chris Greening
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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15
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Hotaling S, Price TL, Hamilton TL. Summer Dynamics of Microbial Diversity on a Mountain Glacier. mSphere 2022; 7:e0050322. [PMID: 36342146 PMCID: PMC9769511 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00503-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Glaciers are rapidly receding under climate change. A melting cryosphere will dramatically alter global sea levels, carbon cycling, and water resource availability. Glaciers host rich biotic communities that are dominated by microbial diversity, and this biodiversity can impact surface albedo, thereby driving a feedback loop between biodiversity and cryosphere melt. However, the microbial diversity of glacier ecosystems remains largely unknown outside of major ice sheets, particularly from a temporal perspective. Here, we characterized temporal dynamics of bacteria, eukaryotes, and algae on the Paradise Glacier, Mount Rainier, USA, over nine time points spanning the summer melt season. During our study, the glacier surface steadily darkened as seasonal snow melted and darkening agents accumulated until new snow fell in late September. From a community-wide perspective, the bacterial community remained generally constant while eukaryotes and algae exhibited temporal progression and community turnover. Patterns of individual taxonomic groups, however, were highly stochastic. We found little support for our a priori prediction that autotroph abundance would peak before heterotrophs. Notably, two different trends in snow algae emerged-an abundant early- and late-season operational taxonomic unit (OTU) with a different midsummer OTU that peaked in August. Overall, our results highlight the need for temporal sampling to clarify microbial diversity on glaciers and that caution should be exercised when interpreting results from single or few time points. IMPORTANCE Microbial diversity on mountain glaciers is an underexplored component of global biodiversity. Microbial presence and activity can also reduce the surface albedo or reflectiveness of glaciers, causing them to absorb more solar radiation and melt faster, which in turn drives more microbial activity. To date, most explorations of microbial diversity in the mountain cryosphere have only included single time points or focused on one microbial community (e.g., bacteria). Here, we performed temporal sampling over a summer melt season for the full microbial community, including bacteria, eukaryotes, and fungi, on the Paradise Glacier, Washington, USA. Over the summer, the bacterial community remained generally constant, whereas eukaryote and algal communities temporally changed through the melt season. Individual taxonomic groups, however, exhibited considerable stochasticity. Overall, our results highlight the need for temporal sampling on glaciers and that caution should be exercised when interpreting results from single or few time points.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Hotaling
- Department of Watershed Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Taylor L. Price
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology and the BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Trinity L. Hamilton
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology and the BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
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16
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Zhang H, Zhan C, Xia J, Yeh PJF. Responses of vegetation to changes in terrestrial water storage and temperature in global mountainous regions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158416. [PMID: 36049697 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
As an important component of terrestrial ecosystem, vegetation acts as a sensitive recorder of changes in hydroclimatic conditions. Long-term time series of remote sensing-based vegetation indices and their influencing environmental driving factors, such as human activities and climate change, have been widely discussed in the literature. Globally, however, little is known about the hydroclimatic processes controlling vegetation changes in mountainous regions, which are conceived as more sensitive to climate change than other landscapes. The present study aims to quantify the respective roles of two dominant hydroclimatic factors, namely, TWS (i.e., terrestrial water storage) and Tair (i.e., temperature), in the spatio-temporal changes of mountainous vegetation over global six contrasting climate zones (i.e., tropical, arid, subtropical, temperate, sub-frigid, and frigid zones) during the period 2003-2016 based on EVI (i.e., enhanced vegetation index), TWS, Tair, and elevation data. Results indicate that the mean EVI shows a larger increasing trend (+0.85 %/decade, p-value < 0.01) and a larger decreasing trend in TWS (-85 mm/decade, p-value < 0.01) across the global mountainous regions than other global regions combined together (+0.61 %/decade, p-value < 0.01), particularly over high latitudes. With the increasing latitudes, the positive effect of temperature more dominates mountainous vegetation growth than moisture, as evidenced by the increasing trends of EVI with warming. However, in certain low-latitude mountainous regions (e.g., East Africa, South Asia, the western Tibetan Plateau, Brazil Plateau, and the southern Rocky Mountains), mountainous vegetation may face degradation due to water deficit induced by increased snowmelt, especially among the high-elevation ecosystems. The water availability controls vegetation activities more than Tair in the mid- and low-latitude regions, including the tropical, arid, and subtropical climate zones. These findings indicate that the potential shifts in mountainous vegetation may occur under the notable interactions with hydroclimatic factors, as the high-latitudes are experiencing ongoing warming and the mid- and low-latitudes are getting dryer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyue Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Yucheng Comprehensive Experiment Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yucheng 251200, China
| | - Chesheng Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Yucheng Comprehensive Experiment Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yucheng 251200, China.
| | - Jun Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Water Resources & Hydropower Engineering Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Pat J-F Yeh
- Discipline of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Malaysia Campus, Malaysia
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17
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Liu Y, Ji M, Yu T, Zaugg J, Anesio AM, Zhang Z, Hu S, Hugenholtz P, Liu K, Liu P, Chen Y, Luo Y, Yao T. A genome and gene catalog of glacier microbiomes. Nat Biotechnol 2022; 40:1341-1348. [PMID: 35760913 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-022-01367-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Glaciers represent a unique inventory of microbial genetic diversity and a record of evolution. The Tibetan Plateau contains the largest area of low-latitude glaciers and is particularly vulnerable to global warming. By sequencing 85 metagenomes and 883 cultured isolates from 21 Tibetan glaciers covering snow, ice and cryoconite habitats, we present a specialized glacier microbial genome and gene catalog to archive glacial genomic and functional diversity. This comprehensive Tibetan Glacier Genome and Gene (TG2G) catalog includes 883 genomes and 2,358 metagenome-assembled genomes, which represent 968 candidate species spanning 30 phyla. The catalog also contains over 25 million non-redundant protein-encoding genes, the utility of which is demonstrated by the exploration of secondary metabolite biosynthetic potentials, virulence factor identification and global glacier metagenome comparison. The TG2G catalog is a valuable resource that enables enhanced understanding of the structure and functions of Tibetan glacial microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqin Liu
- Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Mukan Ji
- Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Tao Yu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Julian Zaugg
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Alexandre M Anesio
- Department of Environmental Science, iClimate, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Zhihao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Songnian Hu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Philip Hugenholtz
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Keshao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pengfei Liu
- Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuying Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yingfeng Luo
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Tandong Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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18
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Archiving the genomic and genetic resources of glaciers. Nat Biotechnol 2022; 40:1330-1331. [PMID: 35760916 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-022-01378-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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19
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Winkel M, Trivedi CB, Mourot R, Bradley JA, Vieth-Hillebrand A, Benning LG. Seasonality of Glacial Snow and Ice Microbial Communities. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:876848. [PMID: 35651494 PMCID: PMC9149292 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.876848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Blooms of microalgae on glaciers and ice sheets are amplifying surface ice melting rates, which are already affected by climate change. Most studies on glacial microorganisms (including snow and glacier ice algae) have so far focused on the spring and summer melt season, leading to a temporal bias, and a knowledge gap in our understanding of the variations in microbial diversity, productivity, and physiology on glacier surfaces year-round. Here, we investigated the microbial communities from Icelandic glacier surface snow and bare ice habitats, with sampling spanning two consecutive years and carried out in both winter and two summer seasons. We evaluated the seasonal differences in microbial community composition using Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA, 18S rRNA, and ITS marker genes and correlating them with geochemical signals in the snow and ice. During summer, Chloromonas, Chlainomonas, Raphidonema, and Hydrurus dominated surface snow algal communities, while Ancylonema and Mesotaenium dominated the surface bare ice habitats. In winter, algae could not be detected, and the community composition was dominated by bacteria and fungi. The dominant bacterial taxa found in both winter and summer samples were Bacteriodetes, Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria. The winter bacterial communities showed high similarities to airborne and fresh snow bacteria reported in other studies. This points toward the importance of dry and wet deposition as a wintertime source of microorganisms to the glacier surface. Winter samples were also richer in nutrients than summer samples, except for dissolved organic carbon-which was highest in summer snow and ice samples with blooming microalgae, suggesting that nutrients are accumulated during winter but primarily used by the microbial communities in the summer. Overall, our study shows that glacial snow and ice microbial communities are highly variable on a seasonal basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Winkel
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Christopher B Trivedi
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Rey Mourot
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
| | - James A Bradley
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany.,School of Geography, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea Vieth-Hillebrand
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Liane G Benning
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany.,Department of Earth Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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20
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Ren Z, Gao H, Luo W, Elser JJ. Bacterial communities in surface and basal ice of a glacier terminus in the headwaters of Yangtze River on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2022; 17:12. [PMID: 35346386 PMCID: PMC8962558 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-022-00408-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND On the front lines of climate change, glacier termini play crucial roles in linking glaciers and downstream ecosystems during glacier retreat. However, we lack a clear understanding of biological processes that occur in surface and basal ice at glacier termini. METHODS Here, we studied the bacterial communities in surface ice and basal ice (the bottom layer) of a glacier terminus in the Yangtze River Source, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. RESULTS Surface and basal ice harbored distinct bacterial communities but shared some core taxa. Surface ice communities had a higher α-diversity than those in basal ice and were dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Cyanobacteria while basal ice was dominated by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. The bacterial communities were also substantially different in functional potential. Genes associated with functional categories of cellular processes and metabolism were significantly enriched in surface ice, while genes connected to environmental information processing were enriched in basal ice. In terms of biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, bacterial communities in surface ice were enriched for genes connected to aerobic carbon fixation, aerobic respiration, denitrification, nitrogen assimilation, nitrogen mineralization, sulfur mineralization, alkaline phosphatase, and polyphosphate kinase. In contrast, bacterial communities in basal ice were enriched for genes involved in anaerobic carbon fixation, fermentation, nitrate reduction, 2-aminoethylphosphonic acid pathway, G3P transporter, glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase, and exopolyphosphatase. Structural equation modeling showed that total nitrogen and environmental carbon:phosphorus were positively while environmental nitrogen:phosphorus was negatively associated with taxonomic β-diversity which itself was strongly associated with functional β-diversity of bacterial communities. CONCLUSIONS This study furthers our understanding of biogeochemical cycling of the mountain cryosphere by revealing the genetic potential of the bacterial communities in surface and basal ice at the glacier terminus, providing new insights into glacial ecology as well as the influences of glacier retreat on downstream systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze Ren
- Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China.
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Hongkai Gao
- Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science (Ministry of Education), East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
- School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| | - Wei Luo
- Polar Research Institute of China, Ministry of Natural Resources, Shanghai, 200136, China
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - James J Elser
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, 59860, USA
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21
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Murakami T, Takeuchi N, Mori H, Hirose Y, Edwards A, Irvine-Fynn T, Li Z, Ishii S, Segawa T. Metagenomics reveals global-scale contrasts in nitrogen cycling and cyanobacterial light-harvesting mechanisms in glacier cryoconite. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:50. [PMID: 35317857 PMCID: PMC8941735 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01238-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cryoconite granules are mineral-microbial aggregates found on glacier surfaces worldwide and are hotspots of biogeochemical reactions in glacier ecosystems. However, despite their importance within glacier ecosystems, the geographical diversity of taxonomic assemblages and metabolic potential of cryoconite communities around the globe remain unclear. In particular, the genomic content of cryoconite communities on Asia's high mountain glaciers, which represent a substantial portion of Earth's ice masses, has rarely been reported. Therefore, in this study, to elucidate the taxonomic and ecological diversities of cryoconite bacterial consortia on a global scale, we conducted shotgun metagenomic sequencing of cryoconite acquired from a range of geographical areas comprising Polar (Arctic and Antarctic) and Asian alpine regions. RESULTS Our metagenomic data indicate that compositions of both bacterial taxa and functional genes are particularly distinctive for Asian cryoconite. Read abundance of the genes responsible for denitrification was significantly more abundant in Asian cryoconite than the Polar cryoconite, implying that denitrification is more enhanced in Asian glaciers. The taxonomic composition of Cyanobacteria, the key primary producers in cryoconite communities, also differs between the Polar and Asian samples. Analyses on the metagenome-assembled genomes and fluorescence emission spectra reveal that Asian cryoconite is dominated by multiple cyanobacterial lineages possessing phycoerythrin, a green light-harvesting component for photosynthesis. In contrast, Polar cryoconite is dominated by a single cyanobacterial species Phormidesmis priestleyi that does not possess phycoerythrin. These findings suggest that the assemblage of cryoconite bacterial communities respond to regional- or glacier-specific physicochemical conditions, such as the availability of nutrients (e.g., nitrate and dissolved organic carbon) and light (i.e., incident shortwave radiation). CONCLUSIONS Our genome-resolved metagenomics provides the first characterization of the taxonomic and metabolic diversities of cryoconite from contrasting geographical areas, highlighted by the distinct light-harvesting approaches of Cyanobacteria and nitrogen utilization between Polar and Asian cryoconite, and implies the existence of environmental controls on the assemblage of cryoconite communities. These findings deepen our understanding of the biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles of glacier ecosystems, which are susceptible to ongoing climate change and glacier decline, on a global scale. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Murakami
- Department of Informatics, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, Japan
- Advanced Genomics Center, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Nozomu Takeuchi
- Department of Earth Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Mori
- Department of Informatics, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, Japan
- Advanced Genomics Center, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Yuu Hirose
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, Aichi, Japan
| | - Arwyn Edwards
- Institute of Biological, Environmental & Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK
| | - Tristram Irvine-Fynn
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK
| | - Zhongqin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences/Tien Shan Glaciological Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Satoshi Ishii
- Department of Soil, Water and Climate, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN USA
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN USA
| | - Takahiro Segawa
- Center for Life Science Research, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
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22
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Rozwalak P, Podkowa P, Buda J, Niedzielski P, Kawecki S, Ambrosini R, Azzoni RS, Baccolo G, Ceballos JL, Cook J, Di Mauro B, Ficetola GF, Franzetti A, Ignatiuk D, Klimaszyk P, Łokas E, Ono M, Parnikoza I, Pietryka M, Pittino F, Poniecka E, Porazinska DL, Richter D, Schmidt SK, Sommers P, Souza-Kasprzyk J, Stibal M, Szczuciński W, Uetake J, Wejnerowski Ł, Yde JC, Takeuchi N, Zawierucha K. Cryoconite - From minerals and organic matter to bioengineered sediments on glacier's surfaces. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 807:150874. [PMID: 34627905 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cryoconite is a mixture of mineral and organic material covering glacial ice, playing important roles in biogeochemical cycles and lowering the albedo of a glacier surface. Understanding the differences in structure of cryoconite across the globe can be important in recognizing past and future changes in supraglacial environments and ice-organisms-minerals interactions. Despite the worldwide distribution and over a century of studies, the basic characteristics of cryoconite, including its forms and geochemistry, remain poorly studied. The major purpose of our study is the presentation and description of morphological diversity, chemical and photoautotrophs composition, and organic matter content of cryoconite sampled from 33 polar and mountain glaciers around the globe. Observations revealed that cryoconite is represented by various morphologies including loose and granular forms. Granular cryoconite includes smooth, rounded, or irregularly shaped forms; with some having their surfaces covered by cyanobacteria filaments. The occurrence of granules increased with the organic matter content in cryoconite. Moreover, a major driver of cryoconite colouring was the concentration of organic matter and its interplay with minerals. The structure of cyanobacteria and algae communities in cryoconite differs between glaciers, but representatives of cyanobacteria families Pseudanabaenaceae and Phormidiaceae, and algae families Mesotaeniaceae and Ulotrichaceae were the most common. The most of detected cyanobacterial taxa are known to produce polymeric substances (EPS) that may cement granules. Organic matter content in cryoconite varied between glaciers, ranging from 1% to 38%. The geochemistry of all the investigated samples reflected local sediment sources, except of highly concentrated Pb and Hg in cryoconite collected from European glaciers near industrialized regions, corroborating cryoconite as element-specific collector and potential environmental indicator of anthropogenic activity. Our work supports a notion that cryoconite may be more than just simple sediment and instead exhibits complex structure with relevance for biodiversity and the functioning of glacial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Rozwalak
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland; Geohazards Research Unit, Institute of Geology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Paweł Podkowa
- Department of Avian Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Jakub Buda
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Przemysław Niedzielski
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | | | - Roberto Ambrosini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto S Azzoni
- Department of Earth Sciences, "Ardito Desio", University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Baccolo
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Jorge L Ceballos
- Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies, IDEAM, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Joseph Cook
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Biagio Di Mauro
- Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council, Venice, Italy
| | - Gentile Francesco Ficetola
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, University Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
| | - Andrea Franzetti
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Dariusz Ignatiuk
- University of Silesia in Katowice, Institute of Earth Sciences, Bedzinska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
| | - Piotr Klimaszyk
- Department of Water Protection, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Edyta Łokas
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Masato Ono
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ivan Parnikoza
- State Institution National Antarctic Center of Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine; Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Mirosława Pietryka
- Department of Botany and Plant Ecology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Science, pl. Grunwaldzki 24a, 50-363 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Francesca Pittino
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Ewa Poniecka
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dorota L Porazinska
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Dorota Richter
- Department of Botany and Plant Ecology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Science, pl. Grunwaldzki 24a, 50-363 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Steven K Schmidt
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Pacifica Sommers
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Juliana Souza-Kasprzyk
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Marek Stibal
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Witold Szczuciński
- Geohazards Research Unit, Institute of Geology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Jun Uetake
- Field Research Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Łukasz Wejnerowski
- Department of Hydrobiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Jacob C Yde
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, Norway
| | - Nozomu Takeuchi
- Department of Earth Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Krzysztof Zawierucha
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland.
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23
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Zawierucha K, Trzebny A, Buda J, Bagshaw E, Franzetti A, Dabert M, Ambrosini R. Trophic and symbiotic links between obligate-glacier water bears (Tardigrada) and cryoconite microorganisms. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262039. [PMID: 35020747 PMCID: PMC8754347 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Insights into biodiversity and trophic webs are important for understanding ecosystem functions. Although the surfaces of glaciers are one of the most productive and biologically diverse parts of the cryosphere, the links between top consumers, their diet and microbial communities are poorly understood. In this study, for the first time we investigated the relationships between bacteria, fungi and other microeukaryotes as they relate to tardigrades, microscopic metazoans that are top consumers in cryoconite, a biologically rich and productive biogenic sediment found on glacier surfaces. Using metabarcoding (16S rDNA for bacteria, ITS1 for fungi, and 18S rDNA for other microeukaryotes), we analyzed the microbial community structures of cryoconite and compared them with the community found in both fully fed and starved tardigrades. The community structure of each microbial group (bacteria, fungi, microeukaryotes) were similar within each host group (cryoconite, fully fed tardigrades and starved tardigrades), and differed significantly between groups, as indicated by redundancy analyses. The relative number of operational taxonomic units (ZOTUs, OTUs) and the Shannon index differed significantly between cryoconite and tardigrades. Species indicator analysis highlighted a group of microbial taxa typical of both fully fed and starved tardigrades (potential commensals), like the bacteria of the genera Staphylococcus and Stenotrophomonas, as well as a group of taxa typical of both cryoconite and fully fed tardigrades (likely part of the tardigrade diet; bacteria Flavobacterium sp., fungi Preussia sp., algae Trebouxiophyceae sp.). Tardigrades are consumers of bacteria, fungi and other microeukaryotes in cryoconite and, being hosts for diverse microbes, their presence can enrich the microbiome of glaciers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Zawierucha
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Artur Trzebny
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Jakub Buda
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Elizabeth Bagshaw
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea Franzetti
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Miroslawa Dabert
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Roberto Ambrosini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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24
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Ficetola GF, Marta S, Guerrieri A, Gobbi M, Ambrosini R, Fontaneto D, Zerboni A, Poulenard J, Caccianiga M, Thuiller W. Dynamics of Ecological Communities Following Current Retreat of Glaciers. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND SYSTEMATICS 2021. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-010521-040017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Glaciers are retreating globally, and the resulting ice-free areas provide an experimental system for understanding species colonization patterns, community formation, and dynamics. The last several years have seen crucial advances in our understanding of biotic colonization after glacier retreats, resulting from the integration of methodological innovations and ecological theories. Recent empirical studies have demonstrated how multiple factors can speed up or slow down the velocity of colonization and have helped scientists develop theoretical models that describe spatiotemporalchanges in community structure. There is a growing awareness of how different processes (e.g., time since glacier retreat, onset or interruption of surface processes, abiotic factors, dispersal, biotic interactions) interact to shape community formation and, ultimately, their functional structure through succession. Here, we examine how these studies address key theoretical questions about community dynamics and show how classical approaches are increasingly being combined with environmental DNA metabarcoding and functional trait analysis to document the formation of multitrophic communities, revolutionizing our understanding of the biotic processes that occur following glacier retreat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gentile Francesco Ficetola
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, I-20133 Milano, Italy
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, F-38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Silvio Marta
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, I-20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Alessia Guerrieri
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, I-20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Mauro Gobbi
- Section of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, MUSE-Science Museum, I-38122 Trento, Italy
| | - Roberto Ambrosini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, I-20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Diego Fontaneto
- Molecular Ecology Group, Water Research Institute (IRSA), Italian National Research Council (CNR), I-28922 Verbania Pallanza, Italy
| | - Andrea Zerboni
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra “A. Desio,” Università degli Studi di Milano, I-20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Jerome Poulenard
- Laboratory of Environments, Dynamics, and Mountain Territories (EDYTEM), Université Savoie Mont Blanc, Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, F‐73000 Chambéry, France
| | - Marco Caccianiga
- Department of Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, I-20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Wilfried Thuiller
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, F-38000, Grenoble, France
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25
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Brighenti S, Hotaling S, Finn DS, Fountain AG, Hayashi M, Herbst D, Saros JE, Tronstad LM, Millar CI. Rock glaciers and related cold rocky landforms: Overlooked climate refugia for mountain biodiversity. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:1504-1517. [PMID: 33404095 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Mountains are global biodiversity hotspots where cold environments and their associated ecological communities are threatened by climate warming. Considerable research attention has been devoted to understanding the ecological effects of alpine glacier and snowfield recession. However, much less attention has been given to identifying climate refugia in mountain ecosystems where present-day environmental conditions will be maintained, at least in the near-term, as other habitats change. Around the world, montane communities of microbes, animals, and plants live on, adjacent to, and downstream of rock glaciers and related cold rocky landforms (CRL). These geomorphological features have been overlooked in the ecological literature despite being extremely common in mountain ranges worldwide with a propensity to support cold and stable habitats for aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity. CRLs are less responsive to atmospheric warming than alpine glaciers and snowfields due to the insulating nature and thermal inertia of their debris cover paired with their internal ventilation patterns. Thus, CRLs are likely to remain on the landscape after adjacent glaciers and snowfields have melted, thereby providing longer-term cold habitat for biodiversity living on and downstream of them. Here, we show that CRLs will likely act as key climate refugia for terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity in mountain ecosystems, offer guidelines for incorporating CRLs into conservation practices, and identify areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Brighenti
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Scott Hotaling
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Debra S Finn
- Department of Biology, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, USA
| | | | - Masaki Hayashi
- Department of Geoscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - David Herbst
- Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory and Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Jasmine E Saros
- School of Biology and Ecology, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
| | - Lusha M Tronstad
- Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Constance I Millar
- Pacific Southwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Albany, CA, USA
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26
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Losapio G, Cerabolini BEL, Maffioletti C, Tampucci D, Gobbi M, Caccianiga M. The Consequences of Glacier Retreat Are Uneven Between Plant Species. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.616562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Glaciers are retreating worldwide, exposing new terrain to colonization by plants. Recently-deglaciated terrains have been a subject of ecological studies for a long time, as they represent a unique natural model system for examining the effects of global warming associated with glacier retreat on biodiversity and the spatio-temporal dynamic of communities. However, we still have a limited understanding of how physical and biotic factors interactively influence species persistence and community dynamics after glacier retreat and glacier extinction. Using hierarchical joint species distribution models, we integrated data on plant species occurrence at fine spatial scale, spatio-temporal context, environmental conditions, leaf traits, and species-to-species associations in plant communities spanning 0 to c 5,000 years on average after glacier retreat. Our results show that plant diversity initially increases with glacier retreat, but ultimately decreases after glacier extinction. The 22% of plant species non-linearly respond to glacier retreat and will locally disappear with glacier extinction. At the local scale, soil carbon enrichment and reduction of physical (topographic) disturbance positively contribute to distribution patterns in 66% of the species, indicating a strong impact of community-level environmental conditions. Furthermore, positive and negative associations among species play a relevant role (up to 34% of variance) in driving the spatio-temporal dynamic of plant communities. Global warming prompts a shift from facilitation to competition: positive associations prevail among pioneer species, whereas negative associations are relatively more common among late species. This pattern suggests a role of facilitation for enhancing plant diversity in recently ice-free terrains and of competition for decreasing species persistence in late stages. Associated to that, species persisting the most show more “conservative” traits than species of concern. In summary, although plant diversity initially increases with glacier retreat, more than a fifth of plant species are substantially declining and will disappear with glacier extinction. Even for the “winners,” the “victory” is not to be taken for granted due to the negative impact of rising competition. Integrating survey data with hierarchical and network models can help to forecast biodiversity change and anticipate cascading effects of glacier retreat on mountain ecosystems. These effects include the reduction of ecosystem services and benefits to humans, including food production from the pioneer species Artemisia genipi.
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27
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Procházková L, Remias D, Holzinger A, Řezanka T, Nedbalová L. Ecophysiological and ultrastructural characterisation of the circumpolar orange snow alga Sanguina aurantia compared to the cosmopolitan red snow alga Sanguina nivaloides (Chlorophyta). Polar Biol 2020; 44:105-117. [PMID: 33519055 PMCID: PMC7819945 DOI: 10.1007/s00300-020-02778-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Red snow caused by spherical cysts can be found worldwide, while an orange snow phenomenon caused by spherical cells is restricted to (Sub-)Arctic climates. Both bloom types, occurring in the same localities at Svalbard, were compared ecophysiologically. Using a combination of molecular markers and light- and transmission electron microscopy, cells were identified as Sanguina nivaloides and Sanguina aurantia (Chlorophyceae). In search for reasons for a cosmopolitan vs. a more restricted distribution of these microbes, significant differences in fatty acid and pigment profiles of field samples were found. S. aurantia accumulated much lower levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (21% vs. 48% of total fatty acids) and exhibited lower astaxanthin-to-chlorophyll-a ratio (2-8 vs. 12-18). These compounds play an important role in adaptation to extreme conditions at the snow surface and within snow drifts. Accordingly, the performance of photosystem II showed that one third to nearly half of the photosynthetic active irradiation was sufficient in S. aurantia, compared to S. nivaloides, to become light saturated. Furthermore, formation of plastoglobules observed in S. nivaloides but missing in S. aurantia may contribute to photoprotection. The rapid light curves of the two species show to a certain extent the shade-adapted photosynthesis under the light conditions at Svalbard (high α-value 0.16 vs. 0.11, low saturation point I k 59 vs. 86). These results indicate significant physiological and ultrastructural differences of the two genetically closely related cryoflora species, but the reasons why S. aurantia has not been found at conditions outside (Sub-)Arctic climate types remain unknown. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version of this article (10.1007/s00300-020-02778-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorised users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Procházková
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Remias
- School of Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Stelzhamerstr. 23, 4600 Wels, Austria
| | - Andreas Holzinger
- Functional Plant Biology, Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestraße 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Tomáš Řezanka
- Institute of Microbiology, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Linda Nedbalová
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, Czech Republic
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28
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Zawierucha K, Buda J, Jaromerska TN, Janko K, Gąsiorek P. Integrative approach reveals new species of water bears (Pilatobius, Grevenius, and Acutuncus) from Arctic cryoconite holes, with the discovery of hidden lineages of Hypsibius. ZOOL ANZ 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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29
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Glacier Ice Thickness Estimation and Future Lake Formation in Swiss Southwestern Alps—The Upper Rhône Catchment: A VOLTA Application. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12203443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Glacial lake formations are currently being observed in the majority of glacierized mountains in the world. Given the ongoing climate change and population increase, studying glacier ice thickness and bed topography is a necessity for understanding the erosive power of glacier activity in the past and lake formation in the future. This study uses the available information to predict potential sites for future lake formation in the Upper Rhône catchment located in the Southwestern Swiss Alps. The study integrates the latest available glacier outlines and high-quality digital elevation models (DEMs) into the Volume and Topography Automation (VOLTA) model to estimate ice thickness within the extent of the glaciers. Unlike the previous ice thickness models, VOLTA calculates ice thickness distribution based on automatically-derived centerlines, while optimizing the model by including the valley side drag parameter in the force equation. In this study, a total ice volume of 37.17 ± 12.26 km3 (1σ) was estimated for the Upper Rhône catchment. The comparison of VOLTA performance indicates a stronger relationship between measured and predicted bedrock, confirming the less variability in VOLTA’s results (r2 ≈ 0.92) than Glacier Bed Topography (GlabTop) (r2 ≈ 0.82). Overall, the mean percentage of ice thickness error for all measured profiles in the Upper Rhône catchment is around ±22%, of which 28 out of 42 glaciers are underestimated. By incorporating the vertical accuracy of free-ice DEM, we could identify 171 overdeepenings. Among them, 100 sites have a high potential for future lake formation based on four morphological criteria. The visual evaluation of deglaciated areas also supports the robustness of the presented methodology, as 11 water bodies were already formed within the predicted overdeepenings. In the wake of changing global climate, such results highlight the importance of combined datasets and parameters for projecting the future glacial landscapes. The timely information on future glacial lake formation can equip planners with essential knowledge, not only for managing water resources and hazards, but also for understanding glacier dynamics, catchment ecology, and landscape evolution of high-mountain regions.
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30
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Zawierucha K, Porazinska DL, Ficetola GF, Ambrosini R, Baccolo G, Buda J, Ceballos JL, Devetter M, Dial R, Franzetti A, Fuglewicz U, Gielly L, Łokas E, Janko K, Novotna Jaromerska T, Kościński A, Kozłowska A, Ono M, Parnikoza I, Pittino F, Poniecka E, Sommers P, Schmidt SK, Shain D, Sikorska S, Uetake J, Takeuchi N. A hole in the nematosphere: tardigrades and rotifers dominate the cryoconite hole environment, whereas nematodes are missing. J Zool (1987) 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. Zawierucha
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań Poland
| | - D. L. Porazinska
- Department of Entomology and Nematology University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
| | - G. F. Ficetola
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of Milan Milan Italy
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine University Grenoble Alpes Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc CNRS LECA Grenoble France
| | - R. Ambrosini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of Milan Milan Italy
| | - G. Baccolo
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Department University of Milano‐Bicocca Milan Italy
| | - J. Buda
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań Poland
| | - J. L. Ceballos
- Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies IDEAM Bogota' Colombia
| | - M. Devetter
- Institute of soil Biology Biology Centre CAS České Budějovice Czech Republic
- Centre for Polar Ecology Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - R. Dial
- Institute of Culture and the Environment Alaska Pacific University Anchorage AK USA
| | - A. Franzetti
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Department University of Milano‐Bicocca Milan Italy
| | | | - L. Gielly
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine University Grenoble Alpes Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc CNRS LECA Grenoble France
| | - E. Łokas
- Department of Mass Spectroscopy Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences Kraków Poland
| | - K. Janko
- Laboratory of Fish Genetics Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Libechov Czech Republic
- Department of Biology and Ecology Faculty of Science University of Ostrava Ostrava Czech Republic
| | | | | | - A. Kozłowska
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań Poland
| | - M. Ono
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering Chiba University Chiba Japan
| | - I. Parnikoza
- State Institution National Antarctic Center of Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine Kyiv Ukraine
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Kyiv Ukraine
| | - F. Pittino
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Department University of Milano‐Bicocca Milan Italy
| | - E. Poniecka
- School of Earth and Ocean Sciences Cardiff University Cardiff UK
| | - P. Sommers
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
| | - S. K. Schmidt
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
| | - D. Shain
- Biology Department Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Camden NJ USA
| | - S. Sikorska
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań Poland
| | - J. Uetake
- The Arctic Environment Research Center National Institute of Polar Research Tachikawa Japan
| | - N. Takeuchi
- Department of Earth Sciences Graduate School of Science Chiba University Chiba Japan
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31
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Buda J, Łokas E, Pietryka M, Richter D, Magowski W, Iakovenko NS, Porazinska DL, Budzik T, Grabiec M, Grzesiak J, Klimaszyk P, Gaca P, Zawierucha K. Biotope and biocenosis of cryoconite hole ecosystems on Ecology Glacier in the maritime Antarctic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 724:138112. [PMID: 32408434 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Despite recent great interest in glacier ecosystems in the continental Antarctic, little is known about their maritime counterparts. Our study presents descriptive data on cryoconite sediments and cryoconite holes on Ecology Glacier (King George Island) to accomplish three main objectives: (a) to identify main eukaryotic (algae, invertebrates) and prokaryotic (cyanobacteria) components of microbial communities; (b) to provide a "baseline" of community composition, organic matter and artificial contamination; and (c) to identify key abiotic factors that might be important in community assembly. Cryoconite holes were sampled along an altitudinal gradient of Ecology Glacier in January, mid Austral Summer 2017. Cryoconite holes located in lower altitude were deeper than those located in the middle and the highest altitude. Seventeen species of algae and cyanobacteria with biomass of 0.79 to 5.37 μg/cm3 have been found in sediments. Dominant species were cyanobacterial Pseudanabaena frigida and Bacillariophyceae Microcostaus sp. Biomass of Bacillariophyceae was significantly higher than that of Chlorophyta and Cyanobacteria. We found three species of rotifers (potentially two new to science) and for the first time a glacier dwelling Acari (suspension feeder, Nanorchestes nivalis). Organic matter content ranged from 5.4% to 7.6%. Investigated artificial radionuclides included 137Cs, 238Pu, 239+240Pu and 241Am. 210Pb seems to be related to organic matter content. Overall, cryoconite holes on Ecology Glacier present unique habitats that serve as biodiversity hotspots of psychrophiles, source of organic matter, matrices for radioactivity tracking and model for observing changes in supraglacial ecosystems in the maritime Antarctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Buda
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Edyta Łokas
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Radzikowskiego 152, 31-342 Kraków, Poland
| | - Mirosława Pietryka
- Department of Botany and Plant Ecology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Science, pl. Grunwaldzki 24a, 50-363 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Dorota Richter
- Department of Botany and Plant Ecology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Science, pl. Grunwaldzki 24a, 50-363 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Wojciech Magowski
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Nataliia S Iakovenko
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 129, CZ - 165 21 Praha 6, Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Dorota L Porazinska
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Tomasz Budzik
- Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Będzińska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
| | - Mariusz Grabiec
- Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Będzińska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
| | - Jakub Grzesiak
- Department of Antarctic Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Klimaszyk
- Department of Water Protection, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Paweł Gaca
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom
| | - Krzysztof Zawierucha
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznań, Poland.
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Cameron KA, Müller O, Stibal M, Edwards A, Jacobsen CS. Glacial microbiota are hydrologically connected and temporally variable. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:3172-3187. [PMID: 32383292 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Glaciers are melting rapidly. The concurrent export of microbial assemblages alongside glacial meltwater is expected to impact the ecology of adjoining ecosystems. Currently, the source of exported assemblages is poorly understood, yet this information may be critical for understanding how current and future glacial melt seasons may influence downstream environments. We report on the connectivity and temporal variability of microbiota sampled from supraglacial, subglacial and periglacial habitats and water bodies within a glacial catchment. Sampled assemblages showed evidence of being biologically connected through hydrological flowpaths, leading to a meltwater system that accumulates prokaryotic biota as it travels downstream. Temporal changes in the connected assemblages were similarly observed. Snow assemblages changed markedly throughout the sample period, likely reflecting changes in the surrounding environment. Changes in supraglacial meltwater assemblages reflected the transition of the glacial surface from snow-covered to bare-ice. Marked snowmelt across the surrounding periglacial environment resulted in the flushing of soil assemblages into the riverine system. In contrast, surface ice within the ablation zone and subglacial meltwaters remained relatively stable throughout the sample period. Our results are indicative that changes in snow and ice melt across glacial environments will influence the abundance and diversity of microbial assemblages transported downstream.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen A Cameron
- Institute of Biological, Rural and Environmental Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DD, UK.,Center for Permafrost (CENPERM), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 1350, Denmark.,Department of Geochemistry, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Copenhagen, 1350, Denmark.,School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Oliver Müller
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, 5006, Norway
| | - Marek Stibal
- Center for Permafrost (CENPERM), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 1350, Denmark.,Department of Geochemistry, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Copenhagen, 1350, Denmark.,Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, 128 44, Czech Republic
| | - Arwyn Edwards
- Institute of Biological, Rural and Environmental Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DD, UK
| | - Carsten Suhr Jacobsen
- Center for Permafrost (CENPERM), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 1350, Denmark.,Department of Geochemistry, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Copenhagen, 1350, Denmark.,Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, 4000, Denmark
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Hotaling S, Bartholomaus TC, Gilbert SL. Rolling stones gather moss: movement and longevity of moss balls on an Alaskan glacier. Polar Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-020-02675-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Reply to: Glacial ecosystems are essential to understanding biodiversity responses to glacier retreat. Nat Ecol Evol 2020; 4:688-689. [PMID: 32231326 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-1164-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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