ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONING

Transfer of microorganisms between Ross Sea mega-fauna

Investigator: Jonathan Banks
Organisation: University of Waikato 

What we do: We will use the genetic distances between populations of benign gastrointestinal bacteria to model the pattern of transmission of bacteria around the Ross Sea, both between and within host species.

Why we do it: The relatively recent arrival of humans in Antarctica and the continent’s physical separation from other land areas appears to have limited the introduction of pathogens associated with human activity. Despite this isolation, there have been outbreaks of pathogenic diseases in Antarctic wildlife, some of which may have been associated with human activities. There is a lack of knowledge about how pathogens already present in the Ross Sea might transfer between hosts and there is also little knowledge regarding the route novel microorganisms might take if introduced to naïve Antarctic host populations. This lack of knowledge occurs in part because the probability of detecting an individual animal with active disease is extremely low. We will overcome the low probability of detecting active disease by using benign gastrointestinal bacteria.

What we hope to find out: This study will provide insight into the evolution of gut microorganisms and the information obtained may be significant in ensuring the conservation of the Ross Sea’s charismatic and iconic mega-fauna in an environment predicted to change markedly.