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Comparison of the Microbial Diversity and Abundance Between the Freshwater Land-Locked Lakes of Schirmacher Oasis and the Perennially Ice-Covered Lake Untersee in East AntarcticaExtreme conditions such as low temperature, dryness, and constant UV-radiation in terrestrial Antarctica are limiting factors of the survival of microbial populations. The objective of this study was to investigate the microbial diversity and enumeration between the open water lakes of Schirmacher Oasis and the permanently ice-covered Lake Untersee. The lakes in Schirmacher Oasis possessed abundant and diverse group of microorganisms compared to the Lake Untersee. Furthermore, the microbial diversity between two lakes in Schirmacher Oasis (Lake L27C and L47) was compared by culture-based molecular approach. It was determined that L27Chad a richer microbial diversity representing 5 different phyla and 7 different genera. In contrast L47 consisted of 4 different phyla and 6 different genera. The difference in microbial community could be due to the wide range of pH between L27C (pH 9.1) and L47 (pH 5.7). Most of the microbes isolated from these lakes consisted of adaptive biological pigmentation. Characterization of the microbial community found in the freshwater lakes of East Antarctica is important because it gives a further glimpse into the adaptation and survival strategies found in extreme conditions.
Document ID
20100040620
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Huang, Jonathan (Alabama Univ. Birmingham, AL, United States)
Hoover, Richard B. (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Swain, Ashit (Government of India New Delhi, India)
Murdock, Chris (Jacksonville State Univ. AL, United States)
Bej, Asim K. (Alabama Univ. Birmingham, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2010
Publication Information
Publication: Proceedings of SPIE Conference: Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology XIII
Volume: 7819
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Report/Patent Number
M10-1061
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX07AD90A
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX08AO19G
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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