Novel biogenic aggregation of moss gemmae on a disappearing African glacier.
Tropical regions are not well represented in glacier biology, yet many tropical glaciers are under threat of disappearance due to climate change. Here we report a novel biogenic aggregation at the terminus of a glacier in the Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda. The material was formed by uniseriate protonemal moss gemmae and protonema. Molecular analysis of five genetic markers determined the taxon as Ceratodon purpureus, a cosmopolitan species that is widespread in tropical to polar region. Given optimal growing temperatures of isolate is 20-30 °C, the cold glacier surface might seem unsuitable for this species. However, the cluster of protonema growth reached approximately 10 °C in daytime, suggesting that diurnal increase in temperature may contribute to the moss's ability to inhabit the glacier surface. The aggregation is also a habitat for microorganisms, and the disappearance of this glacier will lead to the loss of this unique ecosystem.
Transdisciplinary Research Integration Center, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan; National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan.
Jun
J
Uetake
Faculty of Science, Chiba University, Chiba, Chiba, Japan.
Sota
S
Tanaka
Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Kosuke
K
Hara
Institute for Advanced Study, Waseda University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Yukiko
Y
Tanabe
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nagaoka, Nigata, Japan.
Denis
D
Samyn
Faculty of Science, Chiba University, Chiba, Chiba, Japan.
Hideaki
H
Motoyama
Faculty of Science, Chiba University, Chiba, Chiba, Japan.
Satoshi
S
Imura
Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan.
Shiro
S
Kohshima
D044002:Bryophyta / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017753:Ecosystem; D005843:Geography; D046448:Ice Cover; D010641:Phenotype; D010788:Photosynthesis; D014454:Uganda