TitleBacterial community structures of Antarctic soilsAbstractAntarcticaÅ› ice-free environments span diverse habitats, ranging from well developed and nutrient rich soils in the coastal areas, to poorly developed and oligotrophic soils in the continentÅ› deserts and high elevation sites. Though most terrestrial environments in Antarctica are typified by harsh environmental conditions, many soils are home to abundant and diverse bacterial communities. These communities are locally adapted, varying both between and within different regions of the continent, and typically reflecting the local physicochemical and biological characteristics of the soils. Environmental conditions are changing rapidly in many areas, due to increased human activity on the continent and the impacts of climate change. This chapter reviews characteristics of bacterial communities in soils across Antarctica in relation to their environment, and discusses the potential responses of bacterial communities to contemporary environmental change. Continued and coordinated efforts to understand bacterial community structure and function in Antarctic soils will be necessary to monitor and predict ecological responses in these changing environments, and to shape management practices that will ensure the protection and preservation of biodiversity in AntarcticaÅ› terrestrial ecosystems. Copyright 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. All rights reserved.AcknowledgementsN/A
TypeBookCitationBottos, E., Scarrow, J., Archer, S., McDonald, I. and Cary, S. (2014). Bacterial community structures of {Antarctic} soils. Antarctic Terrestrial Microbiology: Physical and Biological Properties of Antarctic Soils, : 9-33 IdentifierBottos2014aRelevancerank3
