Project: Cave ice microbiom: metabolic diversity and activity in response to climate dynamics and anthropogenic pollution
Glacial environments including Polar regions, frozen lakes, mountain glaciers, and upper atmosphere, are currently the focus of intense research due to their recognized vulnerability to climate change and the increased interest in psychrophilic microorganisms (due to their great biotechnological potential). Contrary to these well studies icy environments, there is only limited information available on ice microbiota from ice caves (i.e., perennial ice accumulations in rockhosted caves). These highly preserved and relatively unexposed ice environments constitute archives for studying the impact of climate and anthropogenic pollution on the diversity of the iceembedded microbial communities as well as on their metabolic activity. While studies on structural diversity were partially carried out on this type of habitat, both functional diversity and microbial productivity of this ecosystem are still unexplored. Our proposal represents the first investigation of metabolic diversity and activity of microbial communities from a cave ice environment, to reveal the identities and functions of the key players in this ecosystem, using metagenomic and metatranscriptomic Next Generation Sequencing. The project emphasis on a comparative study of total and active microbial communities from ice caves of different climate and pollution exposures, in order to understand the microbial diversity and metabolism in this preserved environment, and to establish a chronosequence model reflecting the impact of both climate and environmental pollution on cave ice microcosm. The selected ecosystems represent perennial ice blocks harboured in limestone caves located in Romania (Scarisoara Ice Cave, SC), and Norway (Svarthamar Ice Cave, SV), and in glacier caves located at the rockice interface under glaciers in Argentina (Viedma Glacier caves, VD) and Chile (Mylodon cave, MY). Our proposal focuses on the metagenomic and metatranscriptomic reconstitution of total and active microbial community present in different aged ice strata throughout the caves’ ice block. This functional synopsis will be analyzed in relation with the chemical composition of ice deposits reflecting contamination due to anthropological activities and climate dynamics, and variations due to ice formation origin and geographical locations, to identify putative corresponding biomarkers for these glacial ecosystems. The results of this proposal will contribute not only to unraveling the microbial activity of an unstudied type of habitat, but also to investigate the effect of climate variations and environment pollution on such natural monuments leading to better management of the sites and to their more efficient protection and conservation. In addition, screening for microorganisms of high bionanotechnological potential will focus on isolation and characterization of novel metal nanoparticle synthesizing psychrophilic and psychrotolerant strains, enlarging the applicative potential of icecontained microcosm. This joint research project will create longterm partnerships between the European and Latin American Universities and Research Institutes that will contribute to strengthening our research capacity through interlaboratory exchanges, and creating a dynamics in earlystage research training. The expected results will constitute a consolidated starting point for further joint applications treating fundamental and applicative aspects of cryosphere microcosm, focused on ecosystem responses to changing environmental conditions and cave icederived products valorization in nanotechnologies.
| Acronym | CAVICHE (Reference Number: ELAC2014/BES-0171) |
| Duration | 01/01/2015 - 01/01/2018 |
| Project Topic | Biodiversity assessment and monitoring |
|
Project Results (after finalisation) |
not yet available |
| Network | ERANet-LAC |
| Call | ERANet-LAC 1st Joint Call on Research and Innovation between the EU Member States and Associated Countries and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) |
Project partner
| Number | Name | Role | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Institute of Biology Bucharest | Coordinator | Romania |
| 2 | National Scientific and Technical Research Council | Partner | Argentina |
| 3 | Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology | Partner | Romania |
| 4 | University of Antofagasta, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos | Partner | Chile |
| 5 | University of Bergen | Partner | Norway |