Polar microbial ecology and biodiversity

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My research program examines microbial biodiversity and ecology in polar ecosystems using both classical microbiology and novel genomics-based molecular techniques for studying microbial communities. These habitats include unique cold saline springs, permafrost and ground ice, and more recently novel gypsum cryptoendoliths. These investigations explore the biodiversity, ecology, adaptations, and activity of microbial communities in cryoenvironments (subzero habitats) in an emerging field best described as cryomicrobiology. Recent evidence of microbial activity and bacterial growth at ultra-low temperatures (-5 to -20ºC) in permanently cold environments suggest that these habitats harbor active microbial ecosystems. This area is presently very poorly understood but crucial for determining if such communities are active in situ at subzero temperatures and determining the impact of such activity on global biogeochemical cycling. For example, permafrost represents ~20% of terrestrial soil ecosystems yet its biology, essentially microbiology, remains unexplored. The proposed research will help elucidate the effects of global warming on microbial ecosystems in warming permafrost and whether global warming will cause increased green house gas emissions from this high Arctic site. The proposed research will provide new insights into Arctic microbial biodiversity and ecology, especially related to cryomicrobiology. It will identify and characterize novel microorganisms and phylotypes, some of which will have potential biotechnology applications. The arctic sites that we will study, especially the unique cold saline springs on Axel Heiberg Island, are considered significant Mars analogues sites especially in terms of understanding life in very cold salty liquid water habitats as well as how methane can form in permafrost environments analogous to recent discoveries on Mars. Funding for this proposal will support northern research training of 2-3 graduate students and a PDF / year in field research methods in polar microbiology, environmental genomics, astrobiology, and Arctic climate change as well provide training of a new generation of HQP required to maintain northern research in Canada.