南极冰下水生态系统微生物与生源元素循环研究进展

Research progress of microbes and related biogenic element cycle in Antarctic subglacial ecosystems

摘要:

南极大陆冰盖下存在液态水，形成了由冰下湖、冰下河/溪、冰封湖和冰架下水体等组成的冰下水生态系统，具有低温、黑暗和寡营养等极端的环境条件特征。微生物主导了南极冰下水生态系统，其具有丰富多样的种群构成、功能形式和独特的适应机制，在生源元素生物地球化学循环过程中起了重要作用。研究南极冰下微生物群落的生态特征及其参与的生源元素地球化学循环过程，可为揭示地球生命演化和探索外星生命提供指示，具有重要的科学意义。本文综述了南极冰下水生态系统的极端环境条件、冰下微生物的多样性、冰下微生物参与的生物地球化学循环以及冰下微生物的适极机理，最后基于研究现状展望了南极冰下微生物的未来研究方向。

Abstract:

The liquid water under the ice sheet of Antarctic continent consists of subglacial lakes, subglacial rivers/streams, ice-covered lakes, and water bodies under ice shelf. The subglacial aquatic ecosystems are featured with low temperature, darkness, and oligotrophy, and are dominated by microbes characteristic of complex community composition, diverse functions, and unique adaptation mechanisms. These microbes play important roles in biogeochemical cycling of elements. Hence, it is of great significance to clarify the microbial characteristics and their roles in biogeochemical cycles of elements in the subglacial aquatic ecosystems of Antarctic, which avails to reveal the evolution of life on the early Earth and explore life in the extraterrestrial planets. This review summarized the extreme environment conditions, microbial diversity, adaptation mechanisms, and microbial functions related to biogeochemical cycles of elements in subglacial aquatic ecosystems of the Antarctic. Moreover, we summed up the future research trends on Antarctic subglacial microbes.