Soils of two Antarctic Dry Valleys exhibit unique microbial community structures in response to similar environmental disturbances
Abstract Background Isolating the effects of deterministic variables (e.g., physicochemical conditions) on soil microbial communities from those of neutral processes (e.g., dispersal) remains a major challenge in microbial ecology. In this study, we disturbed soil microbial communities of two McMurd...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-07-01
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| Series: | Environmental Microbiome |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-024-00587-0 |
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| author | Mafalda S. Baptista Charles K. Lee Maria R. Monteiro Luís Torgo S. Craig Cary Catarina Magalhães |
| author_facet | Mafalda S. Baptista Charles K. Lee Maria R. Monteiro Luís Torgo S. Craig Cary Catarina Magalhães |
| author_sort | Mafalda S. Baptista |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Isolating the effects of deterministic variables (e.g., physicochemical conditions) on soil microbial communities from those of neutral processes (e.g., dispersal) remains a major challenge in microbial ecology. In this study, we disturbed soil microbial communities of two McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica exhibiting distinct microbial biogeographic patterns, both devoid of aboveground biota and different in macro- and micro-physicochemical conditions. We modified the availability of water, nitrogen, carbon, copper ions, and sodium chloride salts in a laboratory-based experiment and monitored the microbial communities for up to two months. Our aim was to mimic a likely scenario in the near future, in which similar selective pressures will be applied to both valleys. We hypothesized that, given their unique microbial communities, the two valleys would select for different microbial populations when subjected to the same disturbances. Results The two soil microbial communities, subjected to the same disturbances, did not respond similarly as reflected in both 16S rRNA genes and transcripts. Turnover of the two microbial communities showed a contrasting response to the same environmental disturbances and revealed different potentials for adaptation to change. These results suggest that the heterogeneity between these microbial communities, reflected in their strong biogeographic patterns, was maintained even when subjected to the same selective pressure and that the ‘rare biosphere’, at least in these samples, were deeply divergent and did not act as a reservoir for microbiota that enabled convergent responses to change in environmental conditions. Conclusions Our findings strongly support the occurrence of endemic microbial communities that show a structural resilience to environmental disturbances, spanning a wide range of physicochemical conditions. In the highly arid and nutrient-limited environment of the Dry Valleys, these results provide direct evidence of microbial biogeographic patterns that can shape the communities’ response in the face of future environmental changes. |
| first_indexed | 2025-03-21T04:15:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8fa343f14c8947068aee0c90cd7741ee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2524-6372 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-21T04:15:51Z |
| publishDate | 2024-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Microbiome |
| spelling | doaj.art-8fa343f14c8947068aee0c90cd7741ee2024-07-28T11:33:10ZengBMCEnvironmental Microbiome2524-63722024-07-0119111310.1186/s40793-024-00587-0Soils of two Antarctic Dry Valleys exhibit unique microbial community structures in response to similar environmental disturbancesMafalda S. Baptista0Charles K. Lee1Maria R. Monteiro2Luís Torgo3S. Craig Cary4Catarina Magalhães5Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of PortoInternational Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of WaikatoSchool of Science, University of WaikatoFaculty of Sciences, University of PortoInternational Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of WaikatoInterdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of PortoAbstract Background Isolating the effects of deterministic variables (e.g., physicochemical conditions) on soil microbial communities from those of neutral processes (e.g., dispersal) remains a major challenge in microbial ecology. In this study, we disturbed soil microbial communities of two McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica exhibiting distinct microbial biogeographic patterns, both devoid of aboveground biota and different in macro- and micro-physicochemical conditions. We modified the availability of water, nitrogen, carbon, copper ions, and sodium chloride salts in a laboratory-based experiment and monitored the microbial communities for up to two months. Our aim was to mimic a likely scenario in the near future, in which similar selective pressures will be applied to both valleys. We hypothesized that, given their unique microbial communities, the two valleys would select for different microbial populations when subjected to the same disturbances. Results The two soil microbial communities, subjected to the same disturbances, did not respond similarly as reflected in both 16S rRNA genes and transcripts. Turnover of the two microbial communities showed a contrasting response to the same environmental disturbances and revealed different potentials for adaptation to change. These results suggest that the heterogeneity between these microbial communities, reflected in their strong biogeographic patterns, was maintained even when subjected to the same selective pressure and that the ‘rare biosphere’, at least in these samples, were deeply divergent and did not act as a reservoir for microbiota that enabled convergent responses to change in environmental conditions. Conclusions Our findings strongly support the occurrence of endemic microbial communities that show a structural resilience to environmental disturbances, spanning a wide range of physicochemical conditions. In the highly arid and nutrient-limited environment of the Dry Valleys, these results provide direct evidence of microbial biogeographic patterns that can shape the communities’ response in the face of future environmental changes.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-024-00587-0AntarcticaMcMurdo Dry ValleysMicrobial communitiesSelective pressure |
| spellingShingle | Mafalda S. Baptista Charles K. Lee Maria R. Monteiro Luís Torgo S. Craig Cary Catarina Magalhães Soils of two Antarctic Dry Valleys exhibit unique microbial community structures in response to similar environmental disturbances Environmental Microbiome Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys Microbial communities Selective pressure |
| title | Soils of two Antarctic Dry Valleys exhibit unique microbial community structures in response to similar environmental disturbances |
| title_full | Soils of two Antarctic Dry Valleys exhibit unique microbial community structures in response to similar environmental disturbances |
| title_fullStr | Soils of two Antarctic Dry Valleys exhibit unique microbial community structures in response to similar environmental disturbances |
| title_full_unstemmed | Soils of two Antarctic Dry Valleys exhibit unique microbial community structures in response to similar environmental disturbances |
| title_short | Soils of two Antarctic Dry Valleys exhibit unique microbial community structures in response to similar environmental disturbances |
| title_sort | soils of two antarctic dry valleys exhibit unique microbial community structures in response to similar environmental disturbances |
| topic | Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys Microbial communities Selective pressure |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-024-00587-0 |
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