Terrestrial Biodiversity

Microbial biodiversity and metgenomics of the Ross Desert, Eastern Antarctica

Principal Investigator: Craig Cary
Organisation: Waikato University

What we do: This project aims to extend our current research addressing four basic questions relating to the microbiology of the Antarctic mineral type soils
1) What is the true microbial diversity of the terrestrial biotopes?
2) What factors control microbial biomass, activity and diversity?
3) What is the impact of human activities on the introduction of non-indigenous microbial species into Antarctic environments?
4) Can metagenomic methods be applied to the discovery and recovery of valuable genes and gene products in unculturable Antarctic microbiota?
Our intent is to survey soils where unpresidented physical/nutrient gradients exist using a suite of molecular genetic approaches.

Why we do it: The introduction of molecular genetic tools to the study of microbial ecology has provided a new capability to determine the precise composition and structure of complex microbial communities where most of the members have eluded cultivation. To date, these methods have yet to be applied in a comprehensive manner to the study of bacteria inhabiting Antarctic environments.

Some things we've found so far: These methods have provided surprising insight into the complexity and diversity of bacterial communities inhabiting a wide range of natural and artificial habitats.

Recent Publications
Cowan, DA, Ah Tow, L, Smith, JJ, Cary, C, and Moodley, K. 2005. Microbial molecular ecology of Antarctic mineral soil biotopes. in Antarctica; Global Laboratory for Scientific and International Collaboration, A. Tan, Z Yasin, M Mansor, eds., Academy of Sciences Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, pp. 113-118.

Cowan, DA and Ah Tow, L. 2005. Dissemination and survival of non-indigenous bacterial genomes in pristine Antarctic environments. Extremophiles, 9:385-389.

Cowan, D.A. and Ah Tow, L. 2004. Endangered Antarctic microbial communities. Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 58, 649-690.