Micro-Eukaryotic Diversity in Hypolithons from Miers Valley, Antarctica

• Main Authors: Don A. Cowan, Stephen Craig Cary, Jarishma K. Gokul, Marla Tuffin, Angel Valverde
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2013-02-01
• Series: Biology
• Subjects: Antarctica; micro-eukaryotes; hypoliths
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/2/1/331

The discovery of extensive and complex hypolithic communities in both cold and hot deserts has raised many questions regarding their ecology, biodiversity and relevance in terms of regional productivity. However, most hypolithic research has focused on the bacterial elements of the community. This study represents the first investigation of micro-eukaryotic communities in all three hypolith types. Here we show that Antarctic hypoliths support extensive populations of novel uncharacterized bryophyta, fungi and protists and suggest that well known producer-decomposer-predator interactions may create the necessary conditions for hypolithic productivity in Antarctic deserts.