1
|
Oliveira de Miranda C, Lelis Leal de Souza JJ, Gonçalves Reynaud Schaefer CE, Huerta Lwanga E, Nadal Junqueira Villela F. Short-term impacts of polyethylene and polyacrylonitrile microplastics on soil physicochemical properties and microbial activity of a marine terrace environment in maritime Antarctica. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 347:123791. [PMID: 38490529 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123791] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Evidence of microplastic (MP) pollution in Antarctic terrestrial environments reinforces concerns about its potential impacts on soil, which plays a major role in ecological processes at ice-free areas. We investigated the effects of two common MP types on soil physicochemical properties and microbial responses of a marine terrace from Fildes Peninsula (King George Island, Antarctica). Soils were treated with polyethylene (PE) fragments and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers at environmentally relevant doses (from 0.001% to 1% w w-1), in addition to a control treatment (0% w w-1), for 22 days in a pot incubation experiment under natural field conditions. The short-term impacts of MPs on soil physical, chemical and microbial attributes seem interrelated and were affected by both MP dose and type. The highest PAN fiber dose (0.1%) increased macro and total porosity, but decreased soil bulk density compared to control, whereas PE fragments treatments did not affect soil porosity. Soil respiration increased with increasing doses of PAN fibers reflecting impacts on physical properties. Both types of MPs increased microbial activity (fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis), decreased the cation exchange capacity but, especially PE fragments, increased Na+ saturation. The highest dose of PAN fibers and PE fragments increased total nitrogen and total organic carbon, respectively, and both decreased the soil pH. We discussed potential causes for our findings in this initial assessment and addressed the need for further research considering the complexity of environmental factors to better understand the cumulative impacts of MP pollution in Antarctic soil environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caik Oliveira de Miranda
- Departamento de Solos, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Soil Physics and Land Management Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - José João Lelis Leal de Souza
- Departamento de Solos, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Esperanza Huerta Lwanga
- Soil Physics and Land Management Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Fernando Nadal Junqueira Villela
- Laboratório de Pedologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas, Departamento de Geografia, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes, 338, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Prekrasna-Kviatkovska Y, Parnikoza I, Yerkhova A, Stelmakh O, Pavlovska M, Dzyndra M, Yarovyi O, Dykyi E. From acidophilic to ornithogenic: microbial community dynamics in moss banks altered by gentoo penguins. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1362975. [PMID: 38525081 PMCID: PMC10959021 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1362975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The study explores the indirect impact of climate change driven by gentoo's penguin colonization pressure on the microbial communities of moss banks formed by Tall moss turf subformation in central maritime Antarctica. Methods Microbial communities and chemical composition of the differently affected moss banks (Unaffected, Impacted and Desolated) located on Galindez Island and Сape Tuxen on the mainland of Kyiv Peninsula were analyzed. Results The native microbiota of the moss banks' peat was analyzed for the first time, revealing a predominant presence of Acidobacteria (32.2 ± 14.4%), followed by Actinobacteria (15.1 ± 4.0%) and Alphaproteobacteria (9.7 ± 4.1%). Penguin colonization and subsequent desolation of moss banks resulted in an increase in peat pH (from 4.7 ± 0.05 to 7.2 ± 0.6) and elevated concentrations of soluble nitrogen (from 1.8 ± 0.4 to 46.9 ± 2.1 DIN, mg/kg) and soluble phosphorus compounds (from 3.6 ± 2.6 to 20.0 ± 1.8 DIP, mg/kg). The contrasting composition of peat and penguin feces led to the elimination of the initial peat microbiota, with an increase in Betaproteobacteria (from 1.3 ± 0.8% to 30.5 ± 23%) and Bacteroidota (from 5.5 ± 3.7% to 19.0 ± 3.7%) proportional to the intensity of penguins' impact, accompanied by a decrease in community diversity. Microbial taxa associated with birds' guts, such as Gottschalkia and Tissierella, emerged in Impacted and Desolated moss banks, along with bacteria likely benefiting from eutrophication. The changes in the functional capacity of the penguin-affected peat microbial communities were also detected. The nitrogen-cycling genes that regulate the conversion of urea into ammonia, nitrite oxide, and nitrate oxide (ureC, amoA, nirS, nosZ, nxrB) had elevated copy numbers in the affected peat. Desolated peat samples exhibit the highest nitrogen-cycle gene numbers, significantly differing from Unaffected peat (p < 0.05). Discussion The expansion of gentoo penguins induced by climate change led to the replacement of acidophilic microbiomes associated with moss banks, shaping a new microbial community influenced by penguin guano's chemical and microbial composition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ivan Parnikoza
- Biology and Ecology Department, State Institution National Antarctic Scientific Center, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Cell Population Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Faculty of Natural Science, National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Anna Yerkhova
- Biomedical Institute, Open International University of Human Development Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Olesia Stelmakh
- Faculty of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Kyiv Academic University, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Mariia Pavlovska
- Biology and Ecology Department, State Institution National Antarctic Scientific Center, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Faculty of Plant Protection, Biotechnology and Ecology, National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Marta Dzyndra
- Biology and Ecology Department, State Institution National Antarctic Scientific Center, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Oleksandr Yarovyi
- Biology and Ecology Department, State Institution National Antarctic Scientific Center, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Evgen Dykyi
- Biology and Ecology Department, State Institution National Antarctic Scientific Center, Kyiv, Ukraine
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ochoa-Sánchez M, Acuña Gomez EP, Ramírez-Fenández L, Eguiarte LE, Souza V. Current knowledge of the Southern Hemisphere marine microbiome in eukaryotic hosts and the Strait of Magellan surface microbiome project. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15978. [PMID: 37810788 PMCID: PMC10557944 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Host-microbe interactions are ubiquitous and play important roles in host biology, ecology, and evolution. Yet, host-microbe research has focused on inland species, whereas marine hosts and their associated microbes remain largely unexplored, especially in developing countries in the Southern Hemisphere. Here, we review the current knowledge of marine host microbiomes in the Southern Hemisphere. Our results revealed important biases in marine host species sampling for studies conducted in the Southern Hemisphere, where sponges and marine mammals have received the greatest attention. Sponge-associated microbes vary greatly across geographic regions and species. Nevertheless, besides taxonomic heterogeneity, sponge microbiomes have functional consistency, whereas geography and aging are important drivers of marine mammal microbiomes. Seabird and macroalgal microbiomes in the Southern Hemisphere were also common. Most seabird microbiome has focused on feces, whereas macroalgal microbiome has focused on the epibiotic community. Important drivers of seabird fecal microbiome are aging, sex, and species-specific factors. In contrast, host-derived deterministic factors drive the macroalgal epibiotic microbiome, in a process known as "microbial gardening". In turn, marine invertebrates (especially crustaceans) and fish microbiomes have received less attention in the Southern Hemisphere. In general, the predominant approach to study host marine microbiomes has been the sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Interestingly, there are some marine holobiont studies (i.e., studies that simultaneously analyze host (e.g., genomics, transcriptomics) and microbiome (e.g., 16S rRNA gene, metagenome) traits), but only in some marine invertebrates and macroalgae from Africa and Australia. Finally, we introduce an ongoing project on the surface microbiome of key species in the Strait of Magellan. This is an international project that will provide novel microbiome information of several species in the Strait of Magellan. In the short-term, the project will improve our knowledge about microbial diversity in the region, while long-term potential benefits include the use of these data to assess host-microbial responses to the Anthropocene derived climate change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Ochoa-Sánchez
- Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego, Patagonia y Antártica (CEQUA), Punta Arenas, Chile
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | | | - Lia Ramírez-Fenández
- Facultad de Recursos Naturales Renovables, Universidad Arturo Prat, Iquique, Chile
- Centro de Desarrollo de Biotecnología Industrial y Bioproductos, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Luis E. Eguiarte
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Valeria Souza
- Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego, Patagonia y Antártica (CEQUA), Punta Arenas, Chile
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Soil Geochemical Properties Influencing the Diversity of Bacteria and Archaea in Soils of the Kitezh Lake Area, Antarctica. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11121855. [PMID: 36552364 PMCID: PMC9775965 DOI: 10.3390/biology11121855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
It is believed that polar regions are influenced by global warming more significantly, and because polar regions are less affected by human activities, they have certain reference values for future predictions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of climate warming on soil microbial communities in lake areas, taking Kitezh Lake, Antarctica as the research area. Below-peak soil, intertidal soil, and sediment were taken at the sampling sites, and we hypothesized that the diversity and composition of the bacterial and archaeal communities were different among the three sampling sites. Through 16S rDNA sequencing and analysis, bacteria and archaea with high abundance were obtained. Based on canonical correspondence analysis and redundancy analysis, pH and phosphate had a great influence on the bacterial community whereas pH and nitrite had a great influence on the archaeal community. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis was used to find the hub bacteria and archaea related to geochemical factors. The results showed that in addition to pH, phosphate, and nitrite, moisture content, ammonium, nitrate, and total carbon content also play important roles in microbial diversity and structure at different sites by changing the abundance of some key microbiota.
Collapse
|
5
|
Guajardo-Leiva S, Alarcón J, Gutzwiller F, Gallardo-Cerda J, Acuña-Rodríguez IS, Molina-Montenegro M, Crandall KA, Pérez-Losada M, Castro-Nallar E. Source and acquisition of rhizosphere microbes in Antarctic vascular plants. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:916210. [PMID: 36160194 PMCID: PMC9493328 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.916210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhizosphere microbial communities exert critical roles in plant health, nutrient cycling, and soil fertility. Despite the essential functions conferred by microbes, the source and acquisition of the rhizosphere are not entirely clear. Therefore, we investigated microbial community diversity and potential source using the only two native Antarctic plants, Deschampsia antarctica (Da) and Colobanthus quitensis (Cq), as models. We interrogated rhizosphere and bulk soil microbiomes at six locations in the Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, Antarctica, both individual plant species and their association (Da.Cq). Our results show that host plant species influenced the richness and diversity of bacterial communities in the rhizosphere. Here, the Da rhizosphere showed the lowest richness and diversity of bacteria compared to Cq and Da.Cq rhizospheres. In contrast, for rhizosphere fungal communities, plant species only influenced diversity, whereas the rhizosphere of Da exhibited higher fungal diversity than the Cq rhizosphere. Also, we found that environmental geographic pressures (i.e., sampling site, latitude, and altitude) and, to a lesser extent, biotic factors (i.e., plant species) determined the species turnover between microbial communities. Moreover, our analysis shows that the sources of the bacterial communities in the rhizosphere were local soils that contributed to homogenizing the community composition of the different plant species growing in the same sampling site. In contrast, the sources of rhizosphere fungi were local (for Da and Da.Cq) and distant soils (for Cq). Here, the host plant species have a specific effect in acquiring fungal communities to the rhizosphere. However, the contribution of unknown sources to the fungal rhizosphere (especially in Da and Da.Cq) indicates the existence of relevant stochastic processes in acquiring these microbes. Our study shows that rhizosphere microbial communities differ in their composition and diversity. These differences are explained mainly by the microbial composition of the soils that harbor them, acting together with plant species-specific effects. Both plant species acquire bacteria from local soils to form part of their rhizosphere. Seemingly, the acquisition process is more complex for fungi. We identified a significant contribution from unknown fungal sources due to stochastic processes and known sources from soils across the Byers Peninsula.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Guajardo-Leiva
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
- Centro de Ecología Integrativa, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Jaime Alarcón
- Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Florence Gutzwiller
- Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jorge Gallardo-Cerda
- Laboratorio de Ecología Integrativa, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | | | - Marco Molina-Montenegro
- Centro de Ecología Integrativa, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
- Laboratorio de Ecología Integrativa, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
- Centro de Investigación en Estudios Avanzados del Maule, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Keith A. Crandall
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Computational Biology Institute, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Marcos Pérez-Losada
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Computational Biology Institute, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
- CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Eduardo Castro-Nallar
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
- Centro de Ecología Integrativa, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
- *Correspondence: Eduardo Castro-Nallar,
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Almela P, Velázquez D, Rico E, Justel A, Quesada A. Marine Vertebrates Impact the Bacterial Community Composition and Food Webs of Antarctic Microbial Mats. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:841175. [PMID: 35464973 PMCID: PMC9023888 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.841175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The biological activity of marine vertebrates represents an input of nutrients for Antarctic terrestrial biota, with relevant consequences for the entire ecosystem. Even though microbial mats assemble most of the biological diversity of the non-marine Antarctica, the effects of the local macrofauna on these microecosystems remain understudied. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, 13C and 15N stable isotopes, and by characterizing the P and N-derived nutrient levels, we evaluated the effects of penguins and other marine vertebrates on four microbial mats located along the Antarctic Peninsula. Our results show that P concentrations, C/N and N/P ratios, and δ15N values of "penguin-impacted" microbial mats were significantly higher than values obtained for "macrofauna-free" sample. Nutrients derived from penguin colonies and other marine vertebrates altered the trophic interactions of communities within microbial mats, as well as the relative abundance and trophic position of meiofaunal groups. Twenty-nine bacterial families from eight different phyla significantly changed with the presence of penguins, with inorganic nitrogen (NH4 + and NO3 -) and δ15N appearing as key factors in driving bacterial community composition. An apparent change in richness, diversity, and dominance of prokaryotes was also related to penguin-derived nutrients, affecting N utilization strategies of microbial mats and relating oligotrophic systems to communities with a higher metabolic versatility. The interdisciplinary approach of this study makes these results advance our understanding of interactions and composition of communities inhabiting microbial mats from Antarctica, revealing how they are deeply associated with marine animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Almela
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Velázquez
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eugenio Rico
- Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Justel
- UC3M-Santander Big Data Institute (IBiDat), Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Mathematics, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Quesada
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Grant ML, Bond AL, Lavers JL. The influence of seabirds on their breeding, roosting, and nesting grounds: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:1266-1289. [PMID: 35395097 PMCID: PMC9324971 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Seabird species worldwide are integral to both marine and terrestrial environments, connecting the two systems by transporting vast quantities of marine-derived nutrients and pollutants to terrestrial breeding, roosting, and nesting grounds via the deposition of guano and other allochthonous inputs (e.g., eggs, feathers). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis and provide insight into what types of nutrients and pollutants seabirds are transporting, the influence these subsidies are having on recipient environments, with a particular focus on soil, and what may happen if seabird populations decline. The addition of guano to colony soils increased nutrient levels compared to control soils for all seabirds studied, with cascading positive effects observed across a range of habitats. Deposited guano sometimes led to negative impacts, such a guanotrophication, or guano-induced eutrophication, which was often observed where there was an excess of guano or in areas with high seabird densities. While the literature describing nutrients transported by seabirds is extensive, literature regarding pollutant transfer is comparatively limited, with a focus on toxic and bioaccumulative metals. Research on persistent organic pollutants and plastics transported by seabirds is likely to increase in coming years. Studies were limited geographically, with hotspots of research activity in a few locations, but data were lacking from large regions around the world. Studies were also limited to seabird species listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. As seabird populations are impacted by multiple threats and steep declines have been observed for many species worldwide, gaps in the literature are particularly concerning. The loss of seabirds will impact nutrient cycling at localised levels and potentially on a global scale as well, yet it is unknown what may truly happen to areas that rely on seabirds if these populations disappear.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Grant
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, School Road, Newnham, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Alexander L Bond
- Bird Group, Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.,Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Jennifer L Lavers
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Krucon T, Dziewit L, Drewniak L. Insight Into Ecology, Metabolic Potential, and the Taxonomic Composition of Bacterial Communities in the Periodic Water Pond on King George Island (Antarctica). Front Microbiol 2021; 12:708607. [PMID: 34690951 PMCID: PMC8531505 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.708607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Polar regions contain a wide variety of lentic ecosystems. These include periodic ponds that have a significant impact on carbon and nitrogen cycling in polar environments. This study was conducted to assess the taxonomic and metabolic diversity of bacteria found in Antarctic pond affected by penguins and sea elephants and to define their role in ongoing processes. Metabolic assays showed that of the 168 tested heterotrophic bacteria present in the Antarctic periodic pond, 96% are able to degrade lipids, 30% cellulose, 26% proteins, and 26% starch. The taxonomic classification of the obtained isolates differs from that based on the composition of the 16S rRNA relative abundances in the studied pond. The dominant Actinobacteria constituting 45% of isolates represents a low proportion of the community, around 4%. With the addition of run-off, the proportions of inhabiting bacteria changed, including a significant decrease in the abundance of Cyanobacteria, from 2.38 to 0.33%, increase of Firmicutes from 9.32 to 19.18%, and a decreasing richness (Chao1 index from 1299 to 889) and diversity (Shannon index from 4.73 to 4.20). Comparative studies of communities found in different Antarctic environments indicate a great role for penguins in shaping bacterial populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Krucon
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Lukasz Dziewit
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Lukasz Drewniak
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ramírez-Fernández L, Orellana LH, Johnston ER, Konstantinidis KT, Orlando J. Diversity of microbial communities and genes involved in nitrous oxide emissions in Antarctic soils impacted by marine animals as revealed by metagenomics and 100 metagenome-assembled genomes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 788:147693. [PMID: 34029816 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Antarctic soils generally have low temperatures and limited availability of liquid water and nutrients. However, animals can increase the nutrient availability of ice-free areas by transferring nutrients from marine to terrestrial ecosystems, mainly through their excreta. In this study, we employed shotgun metagenomics and population genome binning techniques to study the diversity of microbial communities in Antarctic soils impacted by marine pinnipeds and birds relative to soils with no evident animal presence. We obtained ~285,000 16S rRNA gene-carrying metagenomic reads representing ~60 phyla and 100 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) representing eight phyla. Only nine of these 100 MAGs represented previously described species, revealing that these soils harbor extensive novel diversity. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the most abundant phyla in all samples, with Rhodanobacter being one of the most abundant genera in the bird-impacted soils. Further, the relative abundance of genes related to denitrification was at least double in soils impacted by birds than soils without animal influence. These results advance our understanding of the microbial populations and their genes involved in nitrous oxide emissions in ice-free coastal Antarctic soils impacted by marine animals and reveal novel microbial diversity associated with these ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lia Ramírez-Fernández
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luis H Orellana
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Eric R Johnston
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Konstantinos T Konstantinidis
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA; School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Julieta Orlando
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Fungal diversity in the coastal waters of King George Island (maritime Antarctica). World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 37:142. [PMID: 34322842 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-021-03112-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Fungi have been reported as common inhabitants of the maritime waters in Antarctica by studies based on culture-dependent methods. More recently, results obtained using DNA sequencing technologies, revealed that fungal diversity worldwide has been underestimated by culture methods. The present study provides the first characterization of fungal communities in the coastal waters of King George Island (maritime Antarctica) using both culture-dependent and high-throughput sequencing (HTS) methods. HTS demostrated a higher level of fungal diversity than the obtained by culture methods. A high prevalence of basidiomycetous yeasts and ascomycetous filamentous fungi was confirmed by both methods, however, Chythriomycota, Rozellomycota, lichenized fungi and Malassezia spp. were detected only by HTS. Correspondingly, members of some genera, such as Metschnikowia, were only found by culture-dependent methods. Our results confirm that culturing and HTS, should be seen as complementary approaches that enable one to obtain a more comprehensive picture of the composition of microbial communities.
Collapse
|
11
|
Wang J, Liu X, Dai Y, Ren J, Li Y, Wang X, Zhang P, Peng C. Effects of co-loading of polyethylene microplastics and ciprofloxacin on the antibiotic degradation efficiency and microbial community structure in soil. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 741:140463. [PMID: 32886986 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have become a global environmental concern while soil plastic pollution has been largely overlooked. In view of the severe antibiotic contamination in arable soils owing to land application of sewage sludge and animal manure, the invasion of MPs along with antibiotics may pose an unpredictable threat to soil microbial communities and ecological health. In this work, polyethylene MPs and ciprofloxacin (CIP) were applied to a soil microcosm to investigate the CIP degradation behavior and their combined effects on soil microbial communities. Compared with that of the individual amendment of CIP, the co-amendment of CIP and MPs reduced the CIP degradation efficiency during the 35 d cultivation period. In addition, the high-throughput sequencing results illustrated that the combined loading of MPs and CIP in soil significantly decreased the microbial diversity compared with that of individual contamination. As for the community structure, the microbial compositions at the phylum level were consistent among all treatments, and the most dominant phyla were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Chloroflexi. At the genus level, only one genus, namely Arthrobacter, was remarkably changed in the CIP-amended soil compared with that in the blank control, but four genera were significantly altered in the MPs-CIP co-amended soil. Serratia and Achromobacter were abundant in the combined polluted soil, which might have been involved in accelerated depletion of soil total nitrogen based on redundancy analysis. These findings may contribute to the understanding of bacterial responses to the combined pollution of MPs and antibiotics in soil ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, PR China
| | - Xianhua Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, PR China.
| | - Yexin Dai
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, PR China
| | - Jun Ren
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, PR China
| | - Yang Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, PR China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
| | - Pingping Zhang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin 300384, PR China
| | - Chu Peng
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Prayag KD, du Toit CJ, Cramer MD, Thomson RL. Faunal input at host plants: Can camel thorn trees use nutrients imported by resident sociable weavers? Ecol Evol 2020; 10:11643-11656. [PMID: 33144990 PMCID: PMC7593193 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
"Islands of fertility" result from the focussing of water and nutrients around many shrub or tree species due to plants foraging for resources. Plant-animal feedbacks may amplify the development of such islands through environmental modification due to, for example, faunal deposition of nutrients and seeds. Fauna residing within vegetation clumps are likely to exert stronger feedbacks on their hosts than itinerant species. We studied the interaction between camel thorn trees (Vachellia erioloba) and the colonial nests of sociable weavers (Philetairus socius) in the Kalahari. We hypothesized that the accumulation of biological material below the nests will alter the nutrient status of the soil beneath the nest trees, in relation to unoccupied trees and the surrounding grassland. We also suggested that this association will have both positive and negative effects on the camel thorn trees. We found that soil concentrations of N, P, and K were, respectively, 4, 4.6, and 1.2 times higher below trees with nests compared to control trees, indicating faunal concentration of nutrients. Soil δ15N values were higher below trees with nests than below control trees without nests. Foliar δ15N values were also higher in nest trees than in control trees, showing the trees accessed faunally derived N. Furthermore, foliar biomass per diameter of terminal branches was 27% higher in nest trees, suggesting that trees respond to nutrient input from the weavers with increased growth. Large barren areas in the subcanopy vegetation directly beneath the colonies were attributed to decreased water infiltration rates, as a result of accumulation of organic matter due to continuous deposition of feces, possibly limiting competitive species from establishing in the subcanopy. On the other hand, canopy volume was reduced in trees with nests due to nests occupying large volumes within the canopy, and nests frequently causing branch fall, indicating costs associated with hosting weaver colonies. Synthesis: We found nutritional benefits to camel thorn trees when hosting sociable weaver colonies. These benefits can potentially overcome important environmental constraints, but these are partially offset by the resulting costs to the host trees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kervin D. Prayag
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
| | - Carla J. du Toit
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
- FitzPatrick Institute of African OrnithologyDST‐NRF Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
| | - Michael D. Cramer
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
| | - Robert L. Thomson
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
- FitzPatrick Institute of African OrnithologyDST‐NRF Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
| |
Collapse
|