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G439: 2010 Expedition including news, photo galleries, maps and project updates at this excellent off-site resource... [READ MORE...]!

From "Golf 4-3-9 Antarctica Expedition 2008: Exploring the Rock Bottom of the Food Web in McMurdo's Extreme Environments": In the broadest sense, G-439 project (spelled “golf four-three-nine”) aims at improving our understanding of the “rock bottom” of the food chain. How can microbes make organic carbon only by using inorganic components? Which microbes are the main players in utilizing inorganic carbon and chemical energy and nutrients from rocks and soils that are very poor in organic matter?Antarctica is a very harsh continent with very little life. Food webs have to be very “creative” to adjust to conditions that have been compared to life on other planets or life during the early Earth. We are using these special conditions to explore which microbes are the most successful at using nutrients and energy from volcanic rocks. These types of rocks have been implicated as a potential host for a substantial biomass on Earth and possibly provides a substrate for the evolution of early life.

To pursue these goals, we set out bacterial traps that include volcanic glass as “bait”. Glass is a common geological material that appears to be particularly attractive for the growth of a wide range of microbes in other settings on Earth (for an example, visit the website of the Fe-oxidizing Microbial Observatory). We will use two different types of substrates, one existing of polished surfaces to allow study of biocorrosion and biofilm formation, and one existing of rock powders from which we can isolate microbes. Our study will include prokayotes (e.g. bacteria) and micro-eukaryotes (fungi, yeasts) to get a first-order understanding of the complete food web involved in the utilization of volcanic rocks.

Check out this video compilation of images taken from the 03-04 Field Season for a close look at the diversity of Antarctic fungi!
[View the video on YouTube]

Check out this page for children's fiction about Antarctica!

http://www.utas.edu.au/english/Representations_of_Antarctica/juvenile_fiction.htm

Publications:

• Connell LB, Barrett A, Redman R, and Rodriguez R. (2008) The utility of 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridin (BrdU) for identification of active micro-fungi from Antarctic soil. Polar and Alpine Microbiology Conference 2008. Banff, BC, Canada. [ABSTRACT]
• Connell LB, Redman R, Craig SD, Scorzetti G, Iszard M, and Rodriguez R, (2008) Diversity of soil yeasts isolated from South Victoria Land, Antarctica. Microbial Ecology.56:448-459[ABSTRACT] [VIEW PDF]
• Connell LB, Redman R, Craig SD, Rodriguez R (2006) Distribution and abundance of fungi in the soils of Taylor Valley, Antarctica. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 38: 3083–3094 [ABSTRACT]
• Connell, L. B., R. Redman, S. D. Craig and R. Rodriguez (2005). Abundance and distribution of yeast and yeast-like fungi in Taylor Valley Antarctica. Synthesis of Soil Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning in Victoria Land, Antarctica, Jekyll Island, GA USA. [ABSTRACT]

Projects funded by: National Science Foundation - Office of Polar Programs

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© 2010, Laurie Connell - University of Maine
A Member of the University of Maine System

Learn more with video shorts about Women Working in Antarctica...

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