Molecular Biodiversity

The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV), Antarctica experience extreme environmental conditions including low temperatures, minimal available water, and intense ultraviolet radiation inputs. As a consequence, this is a microbially dominated ecosystem; higher plants and animals are absent, and a limited diversity of protozoans (Bamforth et al. 2005, Fell et al. 2006) and invertebrates are endemic to the region (Freckman and Virginia 1997, Freckman and Virginia 1998, Treonis et al. 1999). In contrast to the limited eukaryotic diversity, recent lines of evidence support the existence of an indigenous and diverse microbial community in MDV streams, lakes, soils, and glaciers. However, exhaustive ecosystem level comparisons of microbial diversity and function in the MDV have yet to be performed. Understanding the controls on the distribution of MDV microbial communities is a fundamental step toward describing this ecosystems determining commuity functional capabilities, and predicting responses to environmental change. In MCMIV, we are using a molecular biology approach to identify the biodiversity and function of MDV communities in diverse habitats. In addition, we are determining how manipulations of water, nutrients, and temperature affect biodiversity and function in situ.

More Information

• Primary Investigators

  Cristina Takacs-Vesbach
  University of New Mexico
  Molecular Biodiversity
  (Research Group Home Page)

  Molecular Biodiversity Lab
  Department of Biology
  University of New Mexico
  MSC03 2020 1UNM
  Albuquerque, NM 87108

  John Priscu
  Montana State University
  Microbial Ecology
  (Research Group Home Page)

  Department of Biology
  309 Lewis Hall
  Montana State University
  Bozeman, MT 59717

  Diane McKnight
  University of Colorado
  Hydrology
  (Research Group Home Page)

  INSTAAR
  1560 30th Street
  Campus Box 450
  Boulder, CO 80309-0450

• Download Data

Use the following link to the Genetic and Genomic Data Links Page