@article {4488, title = {Genetic diversity of soil invertebrates corroborates timing estimates for past collapses of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, year = {2020}, month = {08/2020}, abstract = {

During austral summer field seasons between 1999 and 2018, we sampled at 91 locations throughout southern Victoria Land and along the Transantarctic Mountains for six species of endemic microarthropods (Collembola), covering a latitudinal range from 76.0\°S to 87.3\°S. We assembled individual mitochondrial cyto-chrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) sequences (n = 866) and found high levels of sequence divergence at both small (\<10 km) and large (\>600 km) spatial scales for four of the six Collembola species. We applied molecular clock estimates and assessed genetic divergences relative to the timing of past glacial cycles, including collapses of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). We found that genetically distinct lineages within three species have likely been isolated for at least 5.54 My to 3.52 My, while the other three species diverged more recently (\<2 My). We suggest that Collembola had greater dispersal opportunities under past warmer climates, via flotation along coastal margins. Similarly increased opportunities for dispersal may occur under contemporary climate warming scenarios, which could influence the genetic structure of extant populations. As Collembola are a living record of past landscape evolution within Antarctica, these findings provide biological evidence to support geological and glaciological estimates of historical WAIS dynamics over the last ca. 5 My.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, climate change, microarthropods, molecular clock, phylogeography, terrestrial biodiversity}, doi = {10.1073/pnas.2007925117}, url = {https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/08/19/2007925117}, author = {Gemma E. Collins and Hogg, Ian D. and Convey, Peter and Sancho, Leopoldo G. and Cowan, Don A. and W. Berry Lyons and Byron Adams and Diana H. Wall and Allan Green, T. G.} } @article {4064, title = {Freshwater diatom biogeography and the genus Luticola: an extreme case of endemism in Antarctica}, journal = {Polar Biology}, volume = {40}, year = {2017}, month = {03/2017}, pages = {1185-1196}, abstract = {

Historical views have characterized Antarctica as a frozen desert with low diversity, although recent studies suggest that this may not be true for microscopic organisms. For microbes, assessing endemism in the Antarctic region has been particularly important, especially against a backdrop of debate regarding their presumed cosmopolitan nature. To contribute to this conversation, we highlight the observed endemism of the freshwater diatom genus Luti- cola in Antarctica by synthesizing the results of a modern high-resolution taxonomy from the Continental, Maritime, and sub-Antarctic regions. We report that Luticola has one of the highest endemic rates of any diatom genus in Antarctica, in terms of total number of species (taxon endemism) and percentage of the entire genus (phylogenetic endemism). Of the over 200 species of Luticola globally, nearly 20\% (43) occur in the Antarctic, with 42 of these being endemic. Within regions, Maritime Antarctica has the largest number of Luticola species and endemics (28 and 23, respectively), followed by Continental Antarctica (14, 9) and sub-Antarctic islands (8, 6). Thus, 38 of the 42 endemics are found in a single region only. While the timing of Luticola diversi cation has not been established, fossil evidence suggests recent invasions and/or diversi cation over a relatively short geologic timescale. Understanding the origin and evolution of endemic diatom species in Antarctica will help us better understand microbial biogeography, as well as assess and interpret impacts of large-scale environmental change taking place at southern latitudes.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, issn = {0722-4060}, doi = {10.1007/s00300-017-2090-7}, url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-017-2090-7}, author = {J. Patrick Kociolek and Kopalova, K and Hamsher, S. E. and Tyler J. Kohler and Bart Van de Vijver and Convey, Peter and Diane M. McKnight} } @article {3713, title = {Aerobiology Over Antarctica {\textendash} A New Initiative for Atmospheric Ecology}, journal = {Frontiers in Microbiology}, volume = {776796194610314927235011365134445142846479110123936574}, year = {2016}, month = {02/2016}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.3389/fmicb.2016.00016}, url = {http://journal.frontiersin.org/Article/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00016/abstract}, author = {Pearce, David A. and Alekhina, Irina A. and Terauds, Aleks and Wilmotte, Annick and Quesada, Antonio and Edwards, Arwyn and Dommergue, Aurelien and Sattler, Birgit and Byron Adams and Magalhaes, Catarina and Chu, Wan-Loy and Lau, Maggie C. Y. and Craig S Cary and Smith, David J. and Diana H. Wall and Eguren, Gabriela and Matcher, Gwynneth and Bradley, James A. and de Vera, Jean-Pierre and Elster, Josef and Hughes, Kevin A. and Cuthbertson, Lewis and Benning, Liane G. and Gunde-Cimerman, Nina and Convey, Peter and Hong, Soon Gyu and Pointing, Steve B. and Pellizari, Vivian H. and Vincent, Warwick F.} }