Terrestrial biology Antarctic cryptoendolithic microbial
Terrestrial biology Antarctic cryptoendolithic microbial ecosystem research during the 1983-1984 austral summer E. I. FRIEDMANN
Department of Biological Science Florida State University Tallahassee, Florida 32306
The exploration of the crytoendolithic microbial community in the Ross Desert* of southern Victoria Land began in 1974. Field studies have been carried out yearly since the 1976-1977 season. This microbial community, the dominant, if not sole, community of the antarctic desert, forms an ecosystem that is simple with respect to trophic levels and species number, although the organisms span a wide taxonomic range. Because of its simplicity, it is eminently suitable for a comprehensive analytical study. Such a study, in turn, raises a wide rang of biological problems which call for a variety of approaches and methodologies. It is now also evident that these problems cannot be understood without considering the complex interactions between the biological and geological-geochemical process or without the study of the physical (microclimatic) environment. These requirements necessitated a multidisciplinary approach that could be realized only by the cooperation of several scientists and laboratories. These scientists now form the antarctic cryptoendolithic microbial ecosystem research group with over 20 members from nearly as many laboratories in the United States, Germany, Israel, the United Kingdom, and Aus* Ross Desert is an unofficial name but has been proposed to the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names. It is used here to indicate the ice-free region of southern Victoria Land, between approximately 76°30' and 78°30'S. The designation "dry valleys," often used for this area, is a misnomer because the region includes mountain ranges as well as valleys. The unofficial name "McMurdo oasis" is similarly unsuited, because this region is a true desert.
1984 REVIEW
tria. The work of the group is coordinated by the exchange of materials, (collected specimens, living cultures, and obervational and experimental data), through the publication of a regular newsletter, and by yearly workshop symposia where results of ongoing research are discussed and plans for the coming field season finalized. The annual symposia have been held in Washington, D.C. (1982), in Santa Fe, New Mexico, (1983), and in Cincinnati, Ohio (1984). Senior investigators from diverse disciplines regularly participate in the yearly field work. Members of the field group during the 1983-1984 season were: T.W. Federle (University of Alabama), M. Hale (Smithsonian Institution), C.P. McKay (National Aeronautic and Space Administration/Ames Research Center), R. Ocampo-Friedmann (Florida A&M University), J.R. Vestal (University of Cincinnati), H.S. Vishniac (Oklahoma State University), Ging-Hoen Huang (graduate student, Florida State University), and E. I. Friedmann (Florida State University). Some preliminary results of the field activities of the group are being reported by Hale and Ocampo-Friedmann; McKay and Friedmann; Vestal, Federle, and Friedmann; and Vishniac (Antarctic Journal, this issue). Field research of the antarctic cryptoendolithic microbial ecosystem research group is supported by National Science Foundation grant DPP 83-14180; laboratory research is supported by National Aeronautics and Space Administration grant NSG 7337.
References Hale, M.E., and R. Ocampo-Friedmann, 1984. Ascospore cultures of lichen phycobionts from the antarctic desert. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 19(5). McKay, C.P., and E.I. Friedmann, 1984. Continuous temperature measurements in the cryptoendolithic microbial habitat by satellite-relay data acquisition system. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 19(5). Vestal, JR., T.W. Federle, and E.I. Friedmann. 1984. The effects of light and temperature on the antarctic cryptoendolithic microbiota in vitro. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 19(5). Vishniac, H.S. 1984. Yeast biomass in Ross Desert soils: Evaluation of quantitation methods and sample transport effects. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 19(5).
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Department of Biological Science Florida State University Tallahassee, Florida 32306
The exploration of the crytoendolithic microbial community in the Ross Desert* of southern Victoria Land began in 1974. Field studies have been carried out yearly since the 1976-1977 season. This microbial community, the dominant, if not sole, community of the antarctic desert, forms an ecosystem that is simple with respect to trophic levels and species number, although the organisms span a wide taxonomic range. Because of its simplicity, it is eminently suitable for a comprehensive analytical study. Such a study, in turn, raises a wide rang of biological problems which call for a variety of approaches and methodologies. It is now also evident that these problems cannot be understood without considering the complex interactions between the biological and geological-geochemical process or without the study of the physical (microclimatic) environment. These requirements necessitated a multidisciplinary approach that could be realized only by the cooperation of several scientists and laboratories. These scientists now form the antarctic cryptoendolithic microbial ecosystem research group with over 20 members from nearly as many laboratories in the United States, Germany, Israel, the United Kingdom, and Aus* Ross Desert is an unofficial name but has been proposed to the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names. It is used here to indicate the ice-free region of southern Victoria Land, between approximately 76°30' and 78°30'S. The designation "dry valleys," often used for this area, is a misnomer because the region includes mountain ranges as well as valleys. The unofficial name "McMurdo oasis" is similarly unsuited, because this region is a true desert.
1984 REVIEW
tria. The work of the group is coordinated by the exchange of materials, (collected specimens, living cultures, and obervational and experimental data), through the publication of a regular newsletter, and by yearly workshop symposia where results of ongoing research are discussed and plans for the coming field season finalized. The annual symposia have been held in Washington, D.C. (1982), in Santa Fe, New Mexico, (1983), and in Cincinnati, Ohio (1984). Senior investigators from diverse disciplines regularly participate in the yearly field work. Members of the field group during the 1983-1984 season were: T.W. Federle (University of Alabama), M. Hale (Smithsonian Institution), C.P. McKay (National Aeronautic and Space Administration/Ames Research Center), R. Ocampo-Friedmann (Florida A&M University), J.R. Vestal (University of Cincinnati), H.S. Vishniac (Oklahoma State University), Ging-Hoen Huang (graduate student, Florida State University), and E. I. Friedmann (Florida State University). Some preliminary results of the field activities of the group are being reported by Hale and Ocampo-Friedmann; McKay and Friedmann; Vestal, Federle, and Friedmann; and Vishniac (Antarctic Journal, this issue). Field research of the antarctic cryptoendolithic microbial ecosystem research group is supported by National Science Foundation grant DPP 83-14180; laboratory research is supported by National Aeronautics and Space Administration grant NSG 7337.
References Hale, M.E., and R. Ocampo-Friedmann, 1984. Ascospore cultures of lichen phycobionts from the antarctic desert. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 19(5). McKay, C.P., and E.I. Friedmann, 1984. Continuous temperature measurements in the cryptoendolithic microbial habitat by satellite-relay data acquisition system. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 19(5). Vestal, JR., T.W. Federle, and E.I. Friedmann. 1984. The effects of light and temperature on the antarctic cryptoendolithic microbiota in vitro. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 19(5). Vishniac, H.S. 1984. Yeast biomass in Ross Desert soils: Evaluation of quantitation methods and sample transport effects. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 19(5).
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