Plant, insect, and fungi fossils under the center of Greenland's ice sheet are evidence of ice-free times.

The persistence and size of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) through the Pleistocene is uncertain. This is important because reconstructing changes in the GrIS determines its contribution to sea level rise during prior warm climate periods and informs future projections. To understand better the history of Greenland's ice, we analyzed glacial till collected in 1993 from below 3 km of ice at Summit, Greenland. The till contains plant fragments, wood, insect parts, fungi, and cosmogenic nuclides showing that the bed of the GrIS at Summit is a long-lived, stable land surface preserving a record of deposition, exposure, and interglacial ecosystems. Knowing that central Greenland was tundra-covered during the Pleistocene informs the understanding of Arctic biosphere response to deglaciation.

Comparison of Yamuna (India) and Mississippi River (United States of America) bacterial communities reveals greater diversity below the Yamunotri Glacier.

The Yamuna River in India and the Mississippi River in the United States hold significant commercial, cultural, and ecological importance. This preliminary survey compares the bacterial communities sampled in surface waters at 11 sites (Yamuna headwaters, Mississippi headwaters, Yamuna River Yamunotri Town, Mississippi River at Winona, Tons River, Yamuna River at Paonta Sahib, Yamuna River Delhi-1, Yamuna River Delhi-2, Yamuna River before Sangam, Sangam, Ganga River before Sangam). Bacterial 16S rDNA analyses demonstrate dominance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes phyla. Actinobacteria were also dominant at sites near Sangam in India and sites in Minnesota. A dominance of Epsilonbacteraeota were found in Delhi, India. Principal component analysis (PCA) using unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs) resulted in the identification of 3 groups that included the Yamuna River locations in Delhi (Delhi locations), Yamuna headwaters and Yamuna River at Yamunotri (Yamuna River locations below the Glacier) and Mississippi, Ganga, Tons, and other Yamuna River locations. Diversity indices were significantly higher at the Yamuna River locations below the Glacier (Simpson D = 0.986 and Shannon H = 5.06) as compared (p value <0.001) to the Delhi locations (D = 0.951 and H = 4.23) and as compared (p value < 0.001) to Mississippi, Ganga, Tons, and other Yamuna River locations (D = 0.943 and H = 3.96). To our knowledge, this is the first survey to compare Mississippi and Yamuna River bacterial communities. We demonstrate higher diversity in the bacterial communities below the Yamunotri glacier in India.

Linking the composition of cryoconite prokaryotic communities in the Arctic, Antarctic, and Central Caucasus with their chemical characteristics.

Cryoconites are the deposits on the surface of glaciers that create specific ecological niches for the development of microorganism communities. The sediment material can vary in origin, structure, and nutrient content, creating local variations in the growth conditions. An additional factor of variability is the location of the glaciers, as they are found in different climatic zones in the high mountain regions and closer to the poles. Here, using the analysis of amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we studied the taxonomic composition of the prokaryotic communities from glaciers from remote regions, including the Arctic (Mushketova on the Severnaya Zemlya, IGAN in Polar Ural), Antarctic (Pimpirev on the Livingstone Island) and Central Caucasus (Skhelda and Garabashi) and connected it with the variation of the physicochemical characteristics of the substrate: pH, carbon, nitrogen, macro- and microelements. The cryoconite microbiomes were comprised of specific for this environment phyla (mostly Pseudomonadota, Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidota, Acidobacteriota, and Actinobacteriota), but each glacier had a unique taxonomic imprint. The core microbiome between regions was composed of only a few ASVs, among which the most likely globally distributed ones attributed to Polaromonas sp., Rhodoferax sp., Cryobacterium sp., and Hymenobacter frigidus. The WGSNA defined clusters of co-occurring ASVs between microbiomes, that significantly change their abundance corresponding with the variation of chemical parameters of cryoconites, but do not fully coincide with their regional separation. Thus, our work demonstrates that the chemical characteristics of the sediment material can explain the variation in the cryoconite prokaryotic community which is not always linked to geographic isolation.

The development of terrestrial ecosystems emerging after glacier retreat.

The global retreat of glaciers is dramatically altering mountain and high-latitude landscapes, with new ecosystems developing from apparently barren substrates1-4. The study of these emerging ecosystems is critical to understanding how climate change interacts with microhabitat and biotic communities and determines the future of ice-free terrains1,5. Here, using a comprehensive characterization of ecosystems (soil properties, microclimate, productivity and biodiversity by environmental DNA metabarcoding6) across 46 proglacial landscapes worldwide, we found that all the environmental properties change with time since glaciers retreated, and that temperature modulates the accumulation of soil nutrients. The richness of bacteria, fungi, plants and animals increases with time since deglaciation, but their temporal patterns differ. Microorganisms colonized most rapidly in the first decades after glacier retreat, whereas most macroorganisms took longer. Increased habitat suitability, growing complexity of biotic interactions and temporal colonization all contribute to the increase in biodiversity over time. These processes also modify community composition for all the groups of organisms. Plant communities show positive links with all other biodiversity components and have a key role in ecosystem development. These unifying patterns provide new insights into the early dynamics of deglaciated terrains and highlight the need for integrated surveillance of their multiple environmental properties5.

Principal role of fungi in soil carbon stabilization during early pedogenesis in the high Arctic.

Climate warming is causing widespread deglaciation and pioneer soil formation over glacial deposits. Melting glaciers expose rocky terrain and glacial till sediment that is relatively low in biomass, oligotrophic, and depleted in nutrients. Following initial colonization by microorganisms, glacial till sediments accumulate organic carbon and nutrients over time. However, the mechanisms driving soil nutrient stabilization during early pedogenesis after glacial retreat remain unclear. Here, we traced amino acid uptake by microorganisms in recently deglaciated high-Arctic soils and show that fungi play a critical role in the initial stabilization of the assimilated carbon. Pioneer basidiomycete yeasts were among the predominant taxa responsible for carbon assimilation, which were associated with overall high amino acid use efficiency and reduced respiration. In intermediate- and late-stage soils, lichenized ascomycete fungi were prevalent, but bacteria increasingly dominated amino acid assimilation, with substantially decreased fungal:bacterial amino acid assimilation ratios and increased respiration. Together, these findings demonstrate that fungi are important drivers of pedogenesis in high-Arctic ecosystems that are currently subject to widespread deglaciation from global warming.

Habitat changes due to glacial freezing and melting reshape microbial networks.

The phenomenon of glacial freezing and thawing involves microbial sequestration, release, and colonization, which has the potential to impact ecosystem functioning through changes in microbial diversity and interactions. In this study, we examined the structural features of microbial communities of the Dongkemadi glacier, including bacteria, fungi, and archaea, in four distinct glacial environments (snow, ice, meltwater, and frontier soil). The sequestration, release, and colonization of glacial microbes have been found to significantly impact the diversity and structure of glacial microbial communities, as well as the complexity of microbial networks. Specifically, the complexity of bacterial networks has been observed to increase in a sequential manner during these processes. Utilizing the Inter-Domain Ecological Network approach, researchers have further explored the cross-trophic interactions among bacteria, fungi, and archaea. The complexity of the bacteria-fungi-archaea network exhibited a sequential increase due to the processes of sequestration, release, and colonization of glacial microbes. The release and colonization of glacial microbes led to a shift in the role of archaea as key species within the network. Additionally, our findings suggest that the hierarchical interactions among various microorganisms contributed to the heightened complexity of the bacteria-fungi-archaea network. The primary constituents of the glacial microbial ecosystem are unclassified species associated with the Polaromonas. It is noteworthy that various key species in glacial ecosystems are influenced by the distinct environmental factors. Moreover, our findings suggest that key species are not significantly depleted in response to abrupt alterations in individual environmental factors, shedding light on the dynamics of microbial cross-trophic interactions within glacial ecosystems.

Metatranscriptomic analysis reveals dissimilarity in viral community activity between an ice-free and ice-covered winter in Lake Erie.

Winter is a relatively under-studied season in freshwater ecology. The paucity of wintertime surveys has led to a lack of knowledge regarding microbial community activity during the winter in Lake Erie, a North American Great Lake. Viruses shape microbial communities and regulate biogeochemical cycles by acting as top-down controls, yet very few efforts have been made to examine active virus populations during the winter in Lake Erie. Furthermore, climate change-driven declines in seasonal ice cover have been shown to influence microbial community structure, but no studies have compared viral community activity between different ice cover conditions. We surveyed surface water metatranscriptomes for viral hallmark genes as a proxy for active virus populations and compared activity metrics between ice-covered and ice-free conditions from two sampled winters. Transcriptionally active viral communities were detected in both winters, spanning diverse phylogenetic clades of putative bacteriophage (Caudoviricetes), giant viruses (Nucleocytoviricota, or NCLDV), and RNA viruses (Orthornavirae). However, viral community activity metrics revealed pronounced differences between the ice-covered and ice-free winters. Viral community composition was distinct between winters and viral hallmark gene richness was reduced in the ice-covered relative to the ice-free conditions. In addition, the observed differences in viral communities correlated with microbial community activity metrics. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the viral populations that are active during the winter in Lake Erie and suggest that viral community activity may be associated with ice cover extent.IMPORTANCEAs seasonal ice cover is projected to become increasingly rare on large temperate lakes, there is a need to understand how microbial communities might respond to changing ice conditions. Although it is widely recognized that viruses impact microbial community structure and function, there is little known regarding wintertime viral activity or the relationship between viral activity and ice cover extent. Our metatranscriptomic analyses indicated that viruses were transcriptionally active in the winter surface waters of Lake Erie. These findings also expanded the known diversity of viral lineages in the Great Lakes. Notably, viral community activity metrics were significantly different between the two sampled winters. The pronounced differences we observed in active viral communities between the ice-covered and ice-free samples merit further research regarding how viral communities will function in future, potentially ice-free, freshwater systems.

Pengzhenrongella frigida sp. nov., isolated from a glacier.

A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, designated as HLT2-17T, was isolated from soil sample taken from the Hailuogou glacier in Sichuan province, PR China. Strain HLT2-17T was capable of growing at 4-25°C and in NaCl concentrations ranging from 0 to 2% (w/v). The highest level of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity was observed with Pengzhenrongella phosphoraccumulans M0-14T (98.3 %) and Pengzhenrongella sicca LRZ-2T (98.2 %). The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain HLT2-17T and its closest relatives, P. phosphoraccumulans M0-14T and P. sicca LRZ-2T, were 80.0-84.0 % and 23.3-27.7 %, respectively. Phylogenomic analysis indicated that strain HLT2-17T clustered together with strains P. phosphoraccumulans M0-14T and P. sicca LRZ-2T. Strain HLT2-17T contained C16 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0 as the major fatty acids, and MK-9(H4) as the menaquinone. Therefore, based on a polyphasic approach, we propose that strain HLT2-17T (=CGMCC 1.11116T= NBRC 110443T) represents a novel species of the genus Pengzhenrongella and suggest the name Pengzhenrongella frigida sp. nov.

The diversity and risk of potential pathogenic bacteria on the surface of glaciers in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau.

Glaciers, which constitute the world's largest global freshwater reservoir, are also natural microbial repositories. The frequent pandemic in recent years underscored the potential biosafety risks associated with the release of microorganisms from the accelerated melting of glaciers due to global warming. However, the characteristics of pathogenic microorganisms in glaciers are not well understood. The glacier surface is the primary area where glacier melting occurs that is often the main subject of research on the dynamics of pathogenic microbial communities in efforts to assess glacier biosafety risks and devise preventive measures. In this study, high-throughput sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction methods were employed in analyses of the composition and quantities of potential pathogenic bacteria on the surfaces of glaciers in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. The study identified 441 potential pathogenic species ranging from 215 to 4.39 × 1011 copies/g, with notable seasonal and environmental variations being found in the composition and quantity of potential pathogens. The highest level of diversity was observed in April and snow, while the highest quantities were observed in October and cryoconite. Host analysis revealed that >70 % of the species were pathogens affecting animals, with the highest proportion of zoonotic pathogens being observed in April. Analysis of aerosols and glacial meltwater dispersion suggested that these microbes originated from West Asia, primarily affecting the central and southern regions of China. Null model analysis indicated that the assembly of potential pathogenic microbial communities on glacier surfaces was largely governed by deterministic processes. In conclusion, potential pathogenic bacteria on glacier surfaces mainly originated from the snow and exhibited significant temporal and spatial variation patterns. These findings can be used to enhance researchers' ability to predict potential biosafety risks associated with pathogenic bacteria in glaciers and to prevent their negative impact on populations and ecological systems.

Tibetan terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems collapsed with cryosphere loss inferred from sedimentary ancient metagenomics.

Glacier and permafrost shrinkage and land-use intensification threaten mountain wildlife and affect nature conservation strategies. Here, we present paleometagenomic records of terrestrial and aquatic taxa from the southeastern Tibetan Plateau covering the last 18,000 years to help understand the complex alpine ecosystem dynamics. We infer that steppe-meadow became woodland at 14 ka (cal BP) controlled by cryosphere loss, further driving a herbivore change from wild yak to deer. These findings weaken the hypothesis of top-down control by large herbivores in the terrestrial ecosystem. We find a turnover in the aquatic communities at 14 ka, transitioning from glacier-related (blue-green) algae to abundant nonglacier-preferring picocyanobacteria, macrophytes, fish, and otters. There is no evidence for substantial effects of livestock herding in either ecosystem. Using network analysis, we assess the stress-gradient hypothesis and reveal that root hemiparasitic and cushion plants are keystone taxa. With ongoing cryosphere loss, the protection of their habitats is likely to be of conservation benefit on the Tibetan Plateau.

Pengzhenrongella phosphoraccumulans sp. nov., isolated from high Arctic glacial till, and emended description of the genus Pengzhenrongella.

A yellow pigmented, Gram-stain-positive, motile, facultatively anaerobic and irregular rod-shaped bacteria (strain M0-14T) was isolated from a till sample collected from the foreland of a high Arctic glacier near the settlement of Ny-Ålesund in the Svalbard Archipelago, Norway. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons revealed that M0-14T formed a lineage within the family Cellulomonadaceae, suborder Micrococcineae. M0-14T represented a novel member of the genus Pengzhenrongella and had highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Pengzhenrongella sicca LRZ-2T (97.3 %). Growth occurred at 4-25 °C (optimum 4-18 °C), at pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum pH 7.0), and in the presence of 0-5 % (w/v) NaCl. The predominant menaquinone was MK-9(H4) and the major fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol mannosides, phosphatidylinositol, one undefined phospholipid and five undefined phosphoglycolipids. The cell-wall diamino acid was l-ornithine whereas rhamnose and mannose were the cell-wall sugars. Polyphosphate particles were found inside the cells of M0-14T. Polyphosphate kinase and polyphosphate-dependent glucokinase genes were detected during genomic sequencing of M0-14. In addition, the complete pstSCAB gene cluster and phnCDE synthesis genes, which are important for the uptake and transport of phosphorus in cells, were annotated in the genomic data. According to the genomic data, M0-14T has a metabolic pathway related to phosphorus accumulation. The DNA G+C content of the genomic DNA was 70.8 %. On the basis of its phylogenetic relationship, phenotypic properties and chemotaxonomic distinctiveness, strain M0-14T represents a novel species of the genus Pengzhenrongella, for which the name Pengzhenrongella phosphoraccumulans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is M0-14T (= CCTCC AB 2012967T = NRRL B-59105T).

Dynamics and drivers of mycorrhizal fungi after glacier retreat.

The development of terrestrial ecosystems depends greatly on plant mutualists such as mycorrhizal fungi. The global retreat of glaciers exposes nutrient-poor substrates in extreme environments and provides a unique opportunity to study early successions of mycorrhizal fungi by assessing their dynamics and drivers. We combined environmental DNA metabarcoding and measurements of local conditions to assess the succession of mycorrhizal communities during soil development in 46 glacier forelands around the globe, testing whether dynamics and drivers differ between mycorrhizal types. Mycorrhizal fungi colonized deglaciated areas very quickly (< 10 yr), with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi tending to become more diverse through time compared to ectomycorrhizal fungi. Both alpha- and beta-diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were significantly related to time since glacier retreat and plant communities, while microclimate and primary productivity were more important for ectomycorrhizal fungi. The richness and composition of mycorrhizal communities were also significantly explained by soil chemistry, highlighting the importance of microhabitat for community dynamics. The acceleration of ice melt and the modifications of microclimate forecasted by climate change scenarios are expected to impact the diversity of mycorrhizal partners. These changes could alter the interactions underlying biotic colonization and belowground-aboveground linkages, with multifaceted impacts on soil development and associated ecological processes.

Arctic plasmidome analysis reveals distinct relationships among associated antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence genes along anthropogenic gradients.

Polar regions are relatively isolated from human activity and thus could offer insight into anthropogenic and ecological drivers of the spread of antibiotic resistance. Plasmids are of particular interest in this context given the central role that they are thought to play in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, plasmidomes are challenging to profile in environmental samples. The objective of this study was to compare various aspects of the plasmidome associated with glacial ice and adjacent aquatic environments across the high Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, representing a gradient of anthropogenic inputs and specific treated and untreated wastewater outflows to the sea. We accessed plasmidomes by applying enrichment cultures, plasmid isolation and shotgun Illumina sequencing of environmental samples. We examined the abundance and diversity of ARGs and other stress-response genes that might be co/cross-selected or co-transported in these environments, including biocide resistance genes (BRGs), metal resistance genes (MRGs), virulence genes (VGs) and integrons. We found striking differences between glacial ice and aquatic environments in terms of the ARGs carried by plasmids. We found a strong correlation between MRGs and ARGs in plasmids in the wastewaters and fjords. Alternatively, in glacial ice, VGs and BRGs genes were dominant, suggesting that glacial ice may be a repository of pathogenic strains. Moreover, ARGs were not found within the cassettes of integrons carried by the plasmids, which is suggestive of unique adaptive features of the microbial communities to their extreme environment. This study provides insight into the role of plasmids in facilitating bacterial adaptation to Arctic ecosystems as well as in shaping corresponding resistomes. Increasing human activity, warming of Arctic regions and associated increases in the meltwater run-off from glaciers could contribute to the release and spread of plasmid-related genes from Svalbard to the broader pool of ARGs in the Arctic Ocean.

Interaction between phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria in Arctic fjords during the glacial melting season as revealed by eDNA metabarcoding.

The hydrographic variability in the fjords of Svalbard significantly influences water mass properties, causing distinct patterns of microbial diversity and community composition between surface and subsurface layers. However, surveys on the phytoplankton-associated bacterial communities, pivotal to ecosystem functioning in Arctic fjords, are limited. This study investigated the interactions between phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacterial communities in Svalbard fjord waters through comprehensive eDNA metabarcoding with 16S and 18S rRNA genes. The 16S rRNA sequencing results revealed a homogenous community composition including a few dominant heterotrophic bacteria across fjord waters, whereas 18S rRNA results suggested a spatially diverse eukaryotic plankton distribution. The relative abundances of heterotrophic bacteria showed a depth-wise distribution. By contrast, the dominant phytoplankton populations exhibited variable distributions in surface waters. In the network model, the linkage of phytoplankton (Prasinophytae and Dinophyceae) to heterotrophic bacteria, particularly Actinobacteria, suggested the direct or indirect influence of bacterial contributions on the fate of phytoplankton-derived organic matter. Our prediction of the metabolic pathways for bacterial activity related to phytoplankton-derived organic matter suggested competitive advantages and symbiotic relationships between phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria. Our findings provide valuable insights into the response of phytoplankton-bacterial interactions to environmental changes in Arctic fjords.

Metagenomic analysis of the effects of salinity on microbial community and functional gene diversity in glacial meltwater estuary, Ny-Alesund, Arctic.

Due to the inflow of meltwater from the Midre Lovénbreen glacier upstream of Kongsfjorden, the nutrient concentration of Kongsfjorden change from the estuary to the interior of the fjord. Our objective was to explore the changes in bacterial community structure and metabolism-related genes from the estuary to fjord by metagenomic analysis. Our data indicate that glacial meltwater input has altered the physicochemical properties of the fjords, with a significant effect, in particular, on fjords salinity, thus altering the relative abundance of some specific bacterial groups. In addition, we suggest that the salinity of a fjord is an important factor affecting the abundance of genes associated with the nitrogen and sulfur cycles in the fjord. Changes in salinity may affect the relative abundance of microbial populations that carry metabolic genes, thus affecting the relative abundance of genes associated with the nitrogen and sulfur cycles.

Microbial oases in the ice: A state-of-the-art review on cryoconite holes as diversity hotspots and their scientific connotations.

Cryoconite holes, small meltwater pools on the surface of glaciers and ice sheets, represent extremely cold ecosystems teeming with diverse microbial life. Cryoconite holes exhibit greater susceptibility to the impacts of climate change, underlining the imperative nature of investigating microbial communities as an essential module of polar and alpine ecosystem monitoring efforts. Microbes in cryoconite holes play a critical role in nutrient cycling and can produce bioactive compounds, holding promise for industrial and pharmaceutical innovation. Understanding microbial diversity in these delicate ecosystems is essential for effective conservation strategies. Therefore, this review discusses the microbial diversity in these extreme environments, aiming to unveil the complexity of their microbial communities. The current study envisages that cryoconite holes as distinctive ecosystems encompass a multitude of taxonomically diverse and functionally adaptable microorganisms that exhibit a rich microbial diversity and possess intricate ecological functions. By investigating microbial diversity and ecological functions of cryoconite holes, this study aims to contribute valuable insights into the broader field of environmental microbiology and enhance further understanding of these ecosystems. This review seeks to provide a holistic overview regarding the formation, evolution, characterization, and molecular adaptations of cryoconite holes. Furthermore, future research directions and challenges underlining the need for long-term monitoring, and ethical considerations in preserving these pristine environments are also provided. Addressing these challenges and resolutely pursuing future research directions promises to enrich our comprehension of microbial diversity within cryoconite holes, revealing the broader ecological and biogeochemical implications. The inferences derived from the present study will provide researchers, ecologists, and policymakers with a profound understanding of the significance and utility of cryoconite holes in unveiling the microbial diversity and its potential applications.

New avenues for potentially seeking microbial responses to climate change beneath Antarctic ice shelves.

The signs of climate change are undeniable, and the impact of these changes on ecosystem function heavily depends on the response of microbes that underpin the food web. Antarctic ice shelf is a massive mass of floating ice that extends from the continent into the ocean, exerting a profound influence on global carbon cycles. Beneath Antarctic ice shelves, marine ice stores valuable genetic information, where marine microbial communities before the industrial revolution are archived. Here, in this proof-of-concept, by employing a combination of single-cell technologiesand metagenomics, we have been able to sequence frozen microbial DNA (≈300 years old) stored in the marine ice core B15 collected from the Filchnner-Ronne Ice Shelf. Metagenomic data indicated that Proteobacteria and Thaumarchaeota (e.g., Nitrosopumilus spp.), followed by Actinobacteria (e.g., Actinomarinales), were abundant. Remarkably, our data allow us to "travel to the past" and calibrate genomic and genetic evolutionary changes for ecologically relevant microbes and functions, such as Nitrosopumilus spp., preserved in the marine ice (≈300 years old) with those collected recently in seawater under an ice shelf (year 2017). The evolutionary divergence for the ammonia monooxygenase gene amoA involved in chemolithoautotrophy was about 0.88 amino acid and 2.8 nucleotide substitution rate per 100 sites in a century, while the accumulated rate of genomic SNPs was 2,467 per 1 Mb of genome and 100 years. Whether these evolutionary changes remained constant over the last 300 years or accelerated during post-industrial periods remains an open question that will be further elucidated. IMPORTANCE: Several efforts have been undertaken to predict the response of microbes under climate change, mainly based on short-term microcosm experiments under forced conditions. A common concern is that manipulative experiments cannot properly simulate the response of microbes to climate change, which is a long-term evolutionary process. In this proof-of-concept study with a limited sample size, we demonstrate a novel approach yet to be fully explored in science for accessing genetic information from putative past marine microbes preserved under Antarctic ice shelves before the industrial revolution. This potentially allows us estimating evolutionary changes as exemplified in our study. We advocate for gathering a more comprehensive Antarctic marine ice core data sets across various periods and sites. Such a data set would enable the establishment of a robust baseline, facilitating a better assessment of the potential effects of climate change on key genetic signatures of microbes.

The distinctive weathering crust habitat of a High Arctic glacier comprises discrete microbial micro-habitats.

Sunlight penetrates the ice surfaces of glaciers and ice sheets, forming a water-bearing porous ice matrix known as the weathering crust. This crust is home to a significant microbial community. Despite the potential implications of microbial processes in the weathering crust for glacial melting, biogeochemical cycles, and downstream ecosystems, there have been few explorations of its microbial communities. In our study, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing and shotgun metagenomics of a Svalbard glacier surface catchment to characterise the microbial communities within the weathering crust, their origins and destinies, and the functional potential of the weathering crust metagenome. Our findings reveal that the bacterial community in the weathering crust is distinct from those in upstream and downstream habitats. However, it comprises two separate micro-habitats, each with different taxa and functional categories. The interstitial porewater is dominated by Polaromonas, influenced by the transfer of snowmelt, and exported via meltwater channels. In contrast, the ice matrix is dominated by Hymenobacter, and its metagenome exhibits a diverse range of functional adaptations. Given that the global weathering crust area and the subsequent release of microbes from it are strongly responsive to climate projections for the rest of the century, our results underscore the pressing need to integrate the microbiome of the weathering crust with other communities and processes in glacial ecosystems.

Bacterial diversity in a continuum from supraglacial habitats to a proglacial lake on the Tibetan Plateau.

Mountain glaciers are frequently assessed for their hydrological connectivity from glaciers to proglacial lakes. Ecological process on glacier surfaces and downstream ecosystems have often been investigated separately, but few studies have focused on the connectivity between the different glacial habitats. Therefore, it remains a limited understanding of bacterial community assembly across different habitats along the glacier hydrological continuum. In this study, we sampled along a glacial catchment from supraglacial snow, cryoconite holes, supraglacial runoff, ice-marginal moraine and proglacial lake on the Tibetan Plateau. The bacterial communities in these habitats were analyzed using high-throughput DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to determine the bacterial composition and assembly. Our results showed that each habitat hosted unique bacterial communities, with higher bacterial α-diversity in transitional habitats (e.g. runoff and ice-marginal moraine). Null model analysis indicated that deterministic processes predominantly shaped bacterial assembly in snow, cryoconite holes and lake, while stochastic process dominantly governed bacterial community in transitional habitats. Collectively, our findings suggest that local environment play a critical role in filtering bacterial community composition within glacier habitats. This study enhances our understanding of microbial assembly process in glacier environments and provides valuable insights into the factors governing bacterial community compositions across different habitats along the glacial hydrological continuum.

Microbial difference and its influencing factors in ice-covered lakes on the three poles.

Most lakes in the world are permanently or seasonally covered with ice. However, little is known about the distribution of microbes and their influencing factors in ice-covered lakes worldwide. Here we analyzed the microbial community composition in the waters of 14 ice-covered lakes in the Hoh Xil region of northern Qing-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), and conducted a meta-analysis by integrating published microbial community data of ice-covered lakes in the tripolar regions (the Arctic, Antarctica and QTP). The results showed that there were significant differences in microbial diversity, community composition and distribution patterns in the ice-covered tripolar lakes. Microbial diversity and richness were lower in the ice-covered QTP lakes (including the studied lakes in the Hoh Xil region) than those in the Arctic and Antarctica. In the ice-covered lakes of Hoh Xil, prokaryotes are mainly involved in S-metabolic processes, making them more adaptable to extreme environmental conditions. In contrast, prokaryotes in the ice-covered lakes of the Arctic and Antarctica were predominantly involved in carbon/nitrogen metabolic processes. Deterministic (salinity and nutrients) and stochastic processes (dispersal limitation, homogenizing dispersal and drift) jointly determine the geographical distribution patterns of microorganisms in ice-covered lakes, with stochastic processes dominating. These results expand the understanding of microbial diversity, distribution patterns, and metabolic processes in polar ice-covered lakes.