The microbial ecology of permafrost

Author: Jansson, Janet K.; Tas, Neslihan

Description: Permafrost constitutes a major portion of the terrestrial cryosphere of the Earth and is a unique ecological niche for cold-adapted microorganisms. There is a relatively high microbial diversity in permafrost, although there is some variation in community composition across different permafrost features and between sites. Some microorganisms are even active at subzero temperatures in permafrost. An emerging concern is the impact of climate change and the possibility of subsequent permafrost thaw promoting microbial activity in permafrost, resulting in increased potential for greenhouse-gas emissions. This review describes new data on the microbial ecology of permafrost and provides a platform for understanding microbial life strategies in frozen soil as well as the impact of climate change on permafrost microorganisms and their functional roles.

Subject headings: Adaptation, Physiological; Bacteria; Biodiversity; Cold Climate; Soil Microbiology; Permafrost; Climate change

Publication year: 2014

Journal or book title: Nature Reviews. Microbiology

Volume: 12

Issue: 6

Pages: 414-425

Find the full text: https://www.nature.com/articles/nrmicro3262

Find more like this one (cited by): https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cites=13289988133164929677&as_sdt=1000005&sciodt=0,16&hl=en

Serial number: 3478

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.