Comparison of Arctic and Antarctic microbial communities: abundance, phylogeny and ecology

在计划项目的范围内，将研究极端条件下北极和南极冰缘环境下微生物群落的多样性和生态学及其在养分周转中的功能。极地地区是广阔而独特的自然实验室，这既是由于其地理隔离，也是由于那里活跃的轻微人为影响，可用于研究极端环境条件下的微生物生命。为此，将在东格陵兰的Store Koldewey岛和南极的Livingstone岛的不同生境中调查微生物区系的多样性和丰度，研究它们与重要地点特征（如水文、热和风化过程）的关系。主要目的是通过培养独立的方法，如脂质谱和基于rrna的分析，对微生物群落进行基因型和表型表征。稳定同位素探测将用于确定不同环境中养分周转的主要微生物参与者。获得的数据将有助于了解地球上生命的早期阶段、极端栖息地的发展以及生态系统中微生物的功能。计划中的研究对国际极地年提案“南极和亚南极永久冻土、冰缘和土壤环境”（ANPAS, No. 627）的研究主题作出了贡献，该提案由Jan Boelhouwers博士领导。

In the scope of the planned project the diversity and ecology of microbial communities and their functions in nutrient turnover under the extreme conditions in Arctic and Antarctic periglacial environments will be studied. Polar regions are vast and unique natural laboratories, both because of their geographical isolation and the minor anthropogenic influences active there, for studying microbial life under extreme environmental conditions. For this purpose the diversity and abundance of the microflora in dependence of important site characteristics such as hydrological, thermal and weathering processes will be investigated in different habitats on Store Koldewey (East Greenland) and Livingstone Island (Antarctic). The main objectives are the genotypic and phenotypic characterization of the microbial community by cultivation-independent methods such as lipid profiling and rRNA-based analyses. Stable isotope probing will be used to identify the main microbial players in nutrient turnover in the different environments. The acquired data will give insights into the early stage of life on Earth, the development of extreme habitats and the functioning of microbes within the ecosystem. The planed study contributes to the research topics of the International Polar Year proposal entitled Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Permafrost, Periglacial and Soil Environments (ANPAS, No. 627) leaded by Dr. Jan Boelhouwers.