Perennial Antarctic lake ice: an oasis for life in a polar desert.
The permanent ice covers of Antarctic lakes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys develop liquid water inclusions in response to solar heating of internal aeolian-derived sediments. The ice sediment particles serve as nutrient (inorganic and organic)-enriched microzones for the establishment of a physiologically and ecologically complex microbial consortium capable of contemporaneous photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, and decomposition. The consortium is capable of physically and chemically establishing and modifying a relatively nutrient- and organic matter-enriched microbial "oasis" embedded in the lake ice cover.
Priscu
J C
JC
Department of Biological Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA. 59717, USA.
Fritsen
C H
CH
Adams
E E
EE
Giovannoni
S J
SJ
Paerl
H W
HW
McKay
C P
CP
Doran
P T
PT
Gordon
D A
DA
Lanoil
B D
BD
Pinckney
J L
JL
D000864:Antarctic Regions; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D017753:Ecosystem; D018559:Exobiology; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000382:microbiology*; D007053:Ice; D018538:Jupiter; D018535:Mars; D009586:Nitrogen Fixation; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010802:Phylogeny; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D014871:Water Microbiology
D007053:Ice; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002244:Carbon