Relating fungal functional diversity to C-cycling in sub- and Maritime Antarctic soils
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Earth Atmospheric and Env Sciences
Abstract
The decomposition of organic matter is a critical process to the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. This process is largely driven by saprotrophic (decomposer) fungi in soil and plant litter. Saprotrophic fungi therefore have pivotal roles in the release of carbon (C) from terrestrial ecosystems, in the form of CO2 (a climate-forcing gas), to the atmosphere. Currently, little is known of the specific roles of individual fungal species, i.e. functional diversity, in the degradation of particular C components in the sub- and Maritime Antarctic. The first step in characterising functional diversity is to identify the soil C components (fractions, particle sizes and ages) with which decomposer fungi in soil are associated. Establishing baseline fungal taxonomic and functional diversity and characterizing the soil C components - central aims of this proposal - are fundamental to understand the impacts of environmental change on Antarctic ecosystems. Why the sub- and Maritime Antarctic? Soils in these regions have relatively high stocks of C because of the slow decomposition of organic matter and the tundra vegetation present. For example, soils from South Georgia and Signy Island contain 30 to 40% C. The potential temperature responses of these soils and the C fractions they contain are also important to understand because the terrestrial Maritime Antarctic has been warming rapidly, at c. 0.2-0.4 degrees C per decade over the past 50-100 years, one of the fastest rates of warming recorded. The temperature sensitivity of young and older C fractions in releasing CO2 to the atmosphere is much debated, particularly for peatlands and permafrost soils, such as those that occur in the sub- and Maritime Antarctic. We will determine the associations of specific fungal taxa with specific organic fractions in the field at three sites in the sub- and Maritime Antarctic, and characterise by age and organic geochemistry, the C components of these fractions. In the laboratory, the specific C fractions mineralised by 'key' species of fungi will be determined, together with responses to temperature increases and freeze-thaw cycles. The outcomes of the project will be: (1) a better understanding of the roles of particular groups of fungi in the C cycle, (2) a benchmark for future studies (e.g. in arctic or temperate soils) of the functional roles of fungal mycelia in relation to C mineralisation will have been obtained, and (3) the effects of temperature increases / freeze-thaw on C mineralisation will have been determined.
People |
ORCID iD |
Clare Robinson (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Rosling A
(2011)
Archaeorhizomycetes: unearthing an ancient class of ubiquitous soil fungi.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Newsham KK
(2020)
A Previously Undescribed Helotialean Fungus That Is Superabundant in Soil Under Maritime Antarctic Higher Plants.
in Frontiers in microbiology
Newsham KK
(2018)
Discrete taxa of saprotrophic fungi respire different ages of carbon from Antarctic soils.
in Scientific reports
Horrocks C
(2020)
Predicting climate change impacts on maritime Antarctic soils: a space-for-time substitution study
in Soil Biology and Biochemistry
Cox F
(2019)
Endemic and cosmopolitan fungal taxa exhibit differential abundances in total and active communities of Antarctic soils.
in Environmental microbiology
Cox F
(2016)
Not poles apart: Antarctic soil fungal communities show similarities to those of the distant Arctic.
in Ecology letters
Description | Please see Antarctic Funding Initiative Fieldwork Report at: http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/afi/docs/2011-12_field_reports/afi11-02-robinson-field-report-2011-12.pdf Not poles apart: Antarctic soil fungal communities show similarities to those of the distant Arctic. Antarctica and the Arctic occupy opposite poles of the planet, but are environmentally similar, offering scientists an opportunity to study factors determining the distributions of polar species. In terms of large organisms, such as mammals and birds, the two poles are often seen to harbour distinct wildlife. However, little is known about the microorganisms, such as fungi, that can be found in polar environments. Researchers at the University of Manchester worked alongside British Antarctic Survey to provide a first survey of the soil fungal community of Antarctica, using modern DNA barcoding techniques. Additionally, they compiled DNA sequences from other studies into a global database of over 30,000 fungal species from 400 sites. By matching the Antarctic fungi against this database, the team was able to show that an unexpectedly high number of fungi are shared between the north and south polar regions, with some occurring only at the poles, and nowhere in between. The results are a striking example of community convergence, and contrast with recent suggestions that dispersal abilities primarily determine fungal distributions. These results suggest that some fungi may be able to disperse across the range of the planet, yet only thrive where the environmental conditions are suitable. Key i) The research focused on fungi living in soils, a group of organisms pivotal to decomposition of organic matter in soil and carbon cycling. ii) The study provides the first thorough description of the diversity of fungi in an important environment, at risk from global change. iii) The findings suggest environmental selection determines presence for many species with potentially global distributions. This has been a topic of recent research focus for microorganisms, but the effects of extreme environments have not previously been investigated. |
Exploitation Route | Nil return so far |
Sectors | Environment |
URL | http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/gotw.asp |
Description | British Ecological Society Early Career Grant |
Amount | £13,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 4245 / 5212 |
Organisation | British Ecological Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2013 |
End | 02/2014 |
Title | Relative abundances of DNA and RNA of a previously undescribed Helotiales species in soils from Signy Island and Leonie Island, along with edaphic factors |
Description | The dataset consists of the relative abundances of the DNA and RNA of a fungus in soil samples from Signy and Leonie Islands, along with physico-chemical parameters (moisture concentration, pH value, total carbon and nitrogen concentrations, delta-carbon-13 content, carbon-14 enrichment, and mean carbon residence time). |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://data.bas.ac.uk/full-record.php?id=GB/NERC/BAS/PDC/01403 |
Description | Relating fungal functional diversity to C-cycling in sub- and Maritime Antarctic soils |
Organisation | British Antarctic Survey |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with Dr Kevin Newsham, British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge |
Collaborator Contribution | Carried out joint: fieldwork, isolation of fungi and microcosm experiment |
Impact | Joint publication in Ecology Letters |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Relating fungal functional diversity to C-cycling in sub- and Maritime Antarctic soils |
Organisation | Julich Research Centre |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with Dr Roland Bol, FZ-Juelich |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Relating fungal functional diversity to C-cycling in sub- and Maritime Antarctic soils |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Department | NERC Radiocarbon Facility (Environment) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with Dr Mark H. Garnett, Deputy Head of NERC Radiocarbon Laboratory (East Kilbride) |
Collaborator Contribution | Radiocarbon analyses |
Impact | Analyses remain to be completed |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Relating fungal functional diversity to C-cycling in sub- and Maritime Antarctic soils |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Department | NERC Radiocarbon Facility (Environment) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Provision of fractions of Antarctic soil samples for radiocarbon analysis |
Collaborator Contribution | Analysis of radiocarbon in fractions of Antarctic soil samples |
Impact | Publication in preparation |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Relating fungal functional diversity to C-cycling in sub- and Maritime Antarctic soils |
Organisation | Rothamsted Research |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with Dr Jenni Dungait, Rothamsted Research - North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon |
Start Year | 2010 |
Title | Web site about relating fungal functional diversity to C-cycling in sub- and Maritime Antarctic soils |
Description | Website: www.antarcticfungi.co.uk |
Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
Year Produced | 2013 |
Impact | Wider dissemination of the project |
URL | http://www.antarcticfungi.co.uk |
Description | Invited talk at British Embassy, Moscow at workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The talk resulted in questions and stimulated discussion afterwards. The talk resulted in questions and stimulated discussion afterwards, particularly about Russian field sites which could be useful. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Member of the UK Polar Partnership Steering Committee, June 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Took part in discussions about the future of polar science. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | UK Antarctic Research Symposium 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The talk resulted in a good number of questions and discussions about the project. Questions and discussions arising from the talk resulted in gaining understanding about conditions at one of the field site locations. The talk resulted in a good number of questions and discussions about the project. A discussion with a PhD student looking at microbial communities on glacier forelands, but who was not currently considering fungi, resulted in follow-up correspondence. I believe the student is now considering these important members of the microbial community in their research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |