Non-indigenous microorganisms in the Antarctic: Assessing th
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TitleNon-indigenous microorganisms in the Antarctic: Assessing the risksAbstractThe Antarctic continent is frequently cited as the last pristine continent on Earth. However, this view is misleading for several reasons. First, there has been a rapid increase in visitors to Antarctica, with large increases at research bases and their environs and to sites of major tourist interest (e.g. historical sites and concentrations of megafauna). Second, although substantial efforts are made to avoid physical disturbance and contamination by chemical, human and other wastes at these sites, little has been done to prevent the introduction of non-indigenous microorganisms. Here, we analyse the extent and significance of anthropogenic introduction of microbial ćontaminants Ìto the Antarctic continent. We conclude that such processes are unlikely to have any immediate gross impact on microbiological community structure or function, but that increased efforts are required to protect the unique ecosystems of Antarctica from microbial and genetic contamination and homogenisation. â"' 2011 Elsevier Ltd.AcknowledgementsThe authors wish to thank their respective institutions and national research agencies for financial assistance in support of their Antarctic research programs. This paper contributes to the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR) `Evolution and Biodiversity in Antarctica Ìresearch programme.
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1st AuthorCowan, D.AuthorCowan, D.Chown, S.Convey, P.Tuffin, M.Hughes, K.Pointing, S.Vincent, W.Year2011JournalTrends in MicrobiologyVolume19Number11Pages540-548DOI10.1016/j.tim.2011.07.008URLhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/recor.....8e65b21d2c990b14f60ad4a55KeywordsAntarcticaAspergillus fumigatusBacilluscell survivalclimate changeClostridiumcommunity structureenvironmental temperatureEscherichia colifecal coliformhorizontal gene transferhuman activitieshuman impact (environment)marine environmentmicrobial colonizationmicrobial communitymicrobial contaminationmicrobial growthnonhumanpriority journalreviewspecies endemicity, Antarctic RegionsClimate ChangeEcosystemEnvironmental MicrobiologyEnvironmental PollutionHuman ActivitiesHumansIntroduced Species, rank1
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TypeArticleCitationCowan, D., Chown, S., Convey, P., Tuffin, M., Hughes, K., Pointing, S. and Vincent, W. (2011). Non-indigenous microorganisms in the Antarctic: Assessing the risks. Trends in Microbiology, 19(11): 540-548 IdentifierCowan2011cRelevancerank1
Vincent, W., Non-indigenous microorganisms in the Antarctic: Assessing th , [Cowan2011c]. Antarctica NZ, accessed 09/12/2025, https://adam.antarcticanz.govt.nz/nodes/view/63447, 10.1016/j.tim.2011.07.008