Abstract

Here, we present the results related to a new unique terrestrial ecosystem found in an englacial hypersaline brine found in Northern Victoria Land (Antarctica). Both the geochemistry and microbial (prokaryotic and fungal) diversity revealed an unicity with respect to all the other known Antarctic brines and suggested a probable ancient origin mainly due a progressive cryoconcentration of seawater. The prokaryotic community presented some peculiarities, such as the occurrence of sequences of Patescibacteria (which can thrive in nutrient-limited water environments) or few Spirochaeta, and the presence of archaeal sequences of Methanomicrobia closely related to Methanoculleus, a methanogen commonly detected in marine and estuarine environments. The high percentage (35%) of unassigned fungal taxa suggested the presence of a high degree of undiscovered diversity within a structured fungal community (including both yeast and filamentous life forms) and reinforce the hypothesis of a high degree of biological uniqueness of the habitat under study.

Details

Title
A possible unique ecosystem in the endoglacial hypersaline brines in Antarctica
Author
Guglielmin, M. 1 ; Azzaro, M. 2 ; Buzzini, P. 3 ; Battistel, D. 4 ; Roman, M. 5 ; Ponti, S. 6 ; Turchetti, B. 3 ; Sannino, C. 3 ; Borruso, L. 7 ; Papale, M. 2 ; Lo Giudice, A. 2 

 Insubria University, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Varese, Italy (GRID:grid.18147.3b) (ISNI:0000000121724807); Insubria University, Climate Change Research Center, Como, Italy (GRID:grid.18147.3b) (ISNI:0000000121724807) 
 National Research Council, Institute of Polar Sciences, Messina, Italy (GRID:grid.5326.2) (ISNI:0000 0001 1940 4177) 
 University of Perugia, Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Perugia, Italy (GRID:grid.9027.c) (ISNI:0000 0004 1757 3630) 
 National Research Council, Institute of Polar Sciences, Messina, Italy (GRID:grid.5326.2) (ISNI:0000 0001 1940 4177); University Ca’ Foscari of Venice, Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Mestre, Italy (GRID:grid.7240.1) (ISNI:0000 0004 1763 0578) 
 University Ca’ Foscari of Venice, Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Mestre, Italy (GRID:grid.7240.1) (ISNI:0000 0004 1763 0578) 
 Insubria University, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Varese, Italy (GRID:grid.18147.3b) (ISNI:0000000121724807) 
 Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bozen-Bolzano, Italy (GRID:grid.34988.3e) (ISNI:0000 0001 1482 2038) 
Pages
177
Publication year
2023
Publication date
2023
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2761007849
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2023. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.