Extreme niche partitioning promotes a remarkably high diversity of soil microbiomes across eastern Antarctica

Zhang, Eden; Thibaut, L; Terauds, Aleks; Wong, Sinyin; Dorst, Josie van; Tanaka, Mark M.; Ferrari, Belinda C.

doi:10.1101/559666

Cited by 1 publication

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References 42 publications

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“…Despite Antarctica's vast area, < 1% of the continent is ice free (Convey & Peck 2019). While these ice-free 'oases' are largely free of vascular plants, mosses and lichens are common (Convey et al 2014), as well as an increasingly studied 'microflora' of protists, bacteria and fungi (Zhang et al 2019). Antarctic bryophytes (including mosses and liverworts) and lichens are limited in growth and distribution by extremes in wind, temperature and photoperiod (Wasley et al 2006a, 2006b, Clarke et al 2012, Robinson et al 2018, as well as bioavailable (liquid) water and nutrients (Convey et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diatom communities differ among Antarctic moss and lichen vegetation types

et al. 2020

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Continental Antarctica is a polar desert containing sparse pockets of vegetation within ice-free areas. Despite the recognized association between lichens, mosses and epiphytic diatoms, the environmental factors controlling diatom community structure are poorly understood. We investigated the association between diatom communities and host vegetation characteristics by experimentally adding nutrients and/or water to two bryophyte (healthy and moribund) and two lichen (crustose and Usnea) vegetation types in the Windmill Islands. Diatom communities were morphologically characterized, diversity indices calculated and differences between treatments, vegetation type and vegetation characteristics tested. We identified 49 diatom taxa, 8 of which occurred with > 1% relative abundance. Bryophyte and lichen vegetation harboured significantly different diatom communities, both in composition and diversity indices. Specifically, Luticola muticopsis was more prevalent in moribund bryophytes and crustose lichens, and Usnea lichens showed lower species richness than other types. While nutrient and water additions did not significantly alter diatom communities, diversity indices and some species showed relationships with vegetation physiological characteristics, notably %N and δ13C, suggesting the importance of ambient gradients in water and nutrient availability. Collectively, this work suggests that future conditions favouring the dominance of a particular vegetation type may have a homogenizing effect on the terrestrial diatom communities of East Antarctica.

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