Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Biodiversity of yeasts and filamentous microfungi in terrestrial Antarctic ecosystems

  • Papers
  • Published:
Biodiversity & Conservation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Fungal biodiversity in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems increases with the availability of water and energy, but cannot now be precisely described because of problems with identification and questions us to what organisms are truly indigenous. Yeasts probably predominate on continental Antarctica, while other microfungi usually do so in maritime and sub-Antarctica. Lists of nematophagous species and of microfungal species reported from maritime and sub-Antarctica are given. The ecological roles of these fungi are worthy of further research. The ability of common airspora and pathogens to survive and colonize should be investigated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Appleby, E.C. (1962) Mycosis of the respiratory tract in penguins. Proc. Zool. Soc. London 139, 495–501.

    Google Scholar 

  • Artamonova, O.I. and Krasilnikov, O.I. (1972) Microflora of Antarctic and arctic (in Russian). Trudy sovetskoy Antarkitcheskoy expeditsii 60, 302–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Atlas, R.M., Di Menna, M.E. and Cameron, R.E. (1978) Ecological investigations of yeasts in Antarctic soils. Antarc. Res. Ser. 30, 27–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Babyeva, I.P. and Golubev, V.I. (1969) Psychrophilic yeasts in the Antarctic oases (English translation). Microbiology 38, 436–40 (in Russian, Mikrobiologiya 38, 518–24).

    Google Scholar 

  • Baharaeen, S. and Vishniac, H.S. (1982) Cryptococcus lupi sp. nov., an Antarctic Basidioblastomycete. Int. J. System. Bacteriol. 32, 229–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, A.D. and Wynn-Williams, D.D. (1982) Soil microbiological studies at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands. Br. Antarct. Surv. Bull. 51, 167–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnett, J.A., Payne, R.W. and Yarrow, D. (1990) Yeasts: Characteristics and Identification, 2nd edn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baublis, J.A., Wharton, R.A.Jr and Volz, P.A. (1991) Diversity of micro-fungi in an Antarctic dry valley. J. Basic Microbiol., 31, 3–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broady, P.A. (1993) Soils heated by volcanism. In Antarctic Microbiology (E.I. Friedmann, ed.) pp. 413–32. New York: Wiley-Liss.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broady, P.A. and Smith, R.A. (1994) A preliminary investigation of the diversity, survivability and dispersal of algae introduced into Antarctica by human activity. Proc. NIPR Symp. Polar Biol. 7, 185–97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broady, P., Given, D., Greenfield, L. and Thompson, K. (1987) The biota and environment of fumaroles on Mt. Melbourne, Northern Victoria Land. Polar Biol. 7, 97–113.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bunt, J.S. (1965) Observations on the fungi of Macquarie Island. ANARE Sci. Rep. Series B 78, 1–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cabello, M.N. (1989) Deuteromycotina from Antarctica. New species of hyphomycetes from Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula. Mycotaxon 36, 91–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cabello, M., Gaspar, L. and Pollero, R. (1994) Glomus antarcticum sp. nov., a vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus from Antarctica. Mycotaxon 51, 123–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron, R.E., Lacy, G.H. and Morell, F.A. (1971) Furthest south soil microbial and ecological investigations. Antarct. J. US 6, 105–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caretta, G. and Piontelli, E. (1977) Microsporum magellanicum and Cunninghamella antarctica, new species isolated from australic and antarctic soil of Chile. Sabouraudia 15, 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christie, P. and Nicolson, T.H. (1983) Are mycorrhizas absent from the Antarctic? Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 80, 557–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corte, A. and Daglio, C.A.N. (1963) Micromicetes aislados en el Antartico. Contrib. Inst. Antártico Argentino 74, 3–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corte, A.M., Caretta, G. and Del Frate, G. (1993) Notes on Thelebolus microsporus isolated in Antarctica. Mycotaxon 48, 343–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Del Frate, G. and Caretta, G. (1990) Fungi isolated from Antarctic material. Polar Biol. 11, 1–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Menna, M. E. (1960) Yeasts from Antarctica. J. Gen. Microbiol. 23, 1–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Menna, M. E. (1966) Yeasts in Antarctic soils. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 32, 29–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duddington, D.L., Wyborn, C.H.E. and Smith, R.I.L. (1973) Predacious fungi from the Antarctic. Br. Antarct. Surv. Bull. 35, 87–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, D.H. (1980) Thermophilic fungi isolated from some Antarctic and sub-Antarctic soils. Mycologia 72, 1033–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher, L.D., Kerry, E.J. and Weste, G.M. (1985) Microfungi of Mac.Robertson and Enderby Lands, Antarctica. Polar Biol. 4, 81–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedmann, E.I., McKay, C.P. and Nienow, J.A. (1987) The cryptoendolithic microbial environment in the Ross Desert of Antarcticat satellite-transmitted continuous nanoclimate data, 1984 to 1986. Polar Biol. 7, 273–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedmann, E.I., Kappen, L., Meyer, M.A. and Nienow, J.A. (1993) Long-term productivity in the cryptoendolithic microbial community of the Ross Desert, Antarctica. Microb. Ecol. 25. 51–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goto, S., Sugiyama, J. and Iizuka, H. (1969) A taxonomic study of Antarctic yeasts. Mycologia 61, 748–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, N.F. and Smith, R.I.L. (1984) The distribution of nematophagous fungi in the maritime Antarctic. Mycopathologia 85, 81–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenfield, L. (1981) Soll microbiological studies. In University of Canterbury, Antarctic Expedition No. 19 (L. Greenfield and G. Wilson, eds) pp 4–22. Christchurch: University of Canterbury.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenfield, L. (1983) Thermophilic fungi and Actinomycetes from Mt. Erebus and a fungus pathogenic to Bryum antarcticum at Cape Bird. NZ Antarct. Record 4, 10–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harder, R. and Persiel, I. (1962) Notiz über das Vorkommen niederer Erdphycomyceten in der Antarktis. Arch. f. Mikrobiol 41, 44–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawksworth, D.L. (1979) The licherticolous Hyphomycetes. Bull. Br. Mus. (Natural History), Bot. Ser. 6, 183–300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heal, O.W., Bailey, A.D. and Latter, P.M. (1967) Bacteria, Fungi and Protozoa in Signy Island soils compared with those from a temperate moorland. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London Series B 252. 191–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heatwole, H., Saenger, P., Spain, A., Kerry, E. and Donelan, J. (1989) Biotic and chemical characteristics of some soils from Wilkes Land, Antarctica. Antarct. Sci. 1, 225–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hobbs, G. (1986) Ecology of food microorganisms. Microb. Ecol. 12, 15–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurst, J.L., Pugh, G.J.F. and Walton, D.W.H. (1983) Fungal succession and substrate utilisation on the leaves of three South Georgia phanerogams Br. Antarct. Surv. Bull. 58, 89–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurst, J.L., Pugh, G.J.F. and Walton, D.W.H. (1984) The effect of temperature on the growth of Candida sake isolated from the leaves of a subantarctic grass. Microb. Ecol. 10, 89–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jimenez, M., Gonzalez, A.E., Martinez, M.J., Martinez, A.T. and Dale, B.E. (1991) Screening of yeasts isolated from decayed wood for lignocellulose-degrading enzyme activities. Mycol. Res. 95, 1299–302.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerry, E. (1990a) Effects of temperature on growth rates of fungi from subantarctic Macquarie Island and Casey, Antarctica. Polar Biol. 10, 293–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerry, E. (1990b) Microorganisms colonising plants and soil subjected to different degrees of human activity, including petroleum contamination, in the Vestfold Hills and Mac. Robertson Land, Antarctica. Polar Biol. 10, 423–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerry, E. and Weste, G.M. (1985) Succession in the microflora of leaves and litter of three plant species at sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island. In Proc. 4th Sci. Comm. Antarctic Res. Symp. (W.R. Siegfried, P.R. Condy and R.M. Laws, eds) pp. 597–605. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klingler, J.M. and Vishniac, H.S. (1988a) A contribution of Antarctic ecology to yeast systematics. Polarforschung 58, 83–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klingler, J.M. and Vishniac, H.S. (1988b) Water potential of Antarctic soils. Polarforschung 58, 231–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Latter, P.M. and Heal, O.W. (1971) A preliminary study of the growth of fungi and bacteria from temperate and antarctic soils in relation to temperature. Soil Biol. Biochem. 3, 365–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopez Lastra, C.C., Reboredo, G.R., and Spinedi, H.A. (1991) Primer registro de Tolypocladium cylindiosporum Gams (Deuteromycotina. Hiphomycetes) para la Antártida. Contrib. Inst. Antártico Argentino 392, 1–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKay, C.P. and Friedmann, E.L. (1985) The cryptoendolithic microbial environment in the Antarctic cold desert: temperature variations in nature. Polar Biol. 4, 19–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martini, A. V. (1991) Intraspecific discontinuity within the yeast species Cryptococcus albidus as revealed by nDNA/nDNA reassociation. Exp. Mycol. 15, 140–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mercantini, R., Marsella, R. and Cervellati, M.C. (1989) Keratinophilic fungi isolated from Antarctic soil. Mycopathologia 106, 47–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Middelhoven, W.J. (1993) Catabolism of benzene compounds by ascomycetous and basidiomycetous yeasts and yeastlike fungi. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 63 125–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Möller, C. and Gams, W. (1993). Two new hyphomycetes isolated from Antarctic lichens. Mycotaxon 48, 441–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nienow, J.A. and Friedmann, E.I. (1993) Terrestrial lithophytic (rock) communities. In Antarctic Microbiology (E.I. Friedmann, ed.) pp. 343–412. New York: Wiley-Liss.

    Google Scholar 

  • Onofri, S. and Tosi, S. (1992) Arthrobotrys ferox sp. nov. a springtail-capturing hyphomycete from Continental Antarctica. Mycotoxon 44, 445–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Onofri, S., Tosi, S., Persiani, A.M., Maggi, O., Riess, S. and Zucconni, L. (1994) Mycological researches in Victoria Land Terrestrial Ecosystems. In Proceedings of the 2nd Meeting on ‘Antarctic Biology’ (B. Battaglia, P.M. Bisol and V. Varotto, eds) pp. 19–32. Padova: Ed. Univ. Patavine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker, B.C., SimmonsJr, G.M., WhartonJr, R.A., Seaberg, K.G. and Love, F.G. (1982) Removal of organic and inorganic material from Antarctic lakes by aerial escape of blue-green algal mats. J. Phycol. 18, 72–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phaff, H.J. and Fell, J. (1970) Cryptococcus Kützing emend. Phaff et Spencer. In The Yeasts, a Taxonomic Study (N.J.W. Kreger-van Rij, ed.) pp. 845–72. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pugh, G.J.F. and Allsopp, D. (1982) Microfungi on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands. Br. Antarct. Surv. Bull. 57, 55–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ray, M.K., Shivaji, S., Rao, N.S. and Bhargava, P.M. (1989) Yeast strains from the Schirmacher Oasis, Antarctica. Polar Biol. 9, 305–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roser, D.J., Seppelt, R.D. and Ashbolt, N. (1993) Microbiology of ornithogenic soils from the Windmill Islands, Budd Coast, continental Antarctica: Microbial biomass distribution. Soil Biol. Biochem. 25, 165–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, P.G., Watkins, B.P., Smith, R.I.L., Dastych, H., Eicker, A., Foissner, W., Heatwole, H., Miller, W.R. and Thompson, G. (1989) Biological survey of Robertskollen, western Dronning Maud Land: area description and preliminary species lists. S. Afr. T. Antarkt. 19, 10–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sampaio, J.P. and van Uden, N. (1991) Rhodotorula ferulica sp. nov., a yeast that degrades ferulic acid and other phenolic compounds. System. Appl. Microbiol. 14, 146–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt-Lorenz, W. (1982) Indicator organisms in frozen foods in relation to spoilage. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 48, 625–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Servili, M., Begliomini, A.L., Montedoro, G., Petruccioli, M. and Federici, F. (1992) Utilisation of a yeast pectinase in olive oil extraction and red wine making processes. J. Sci. Food Agric. 58, 253–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinclair, N.A. and Stokes, J.L. (1965) Obligately psychrophilic yeasts from the polar regions. Can. J. Microbiol. 11, 259–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R.I.L. (1994) Species diversity and resource relationships of South Georgian fungi. Antarc. Sci. 6, 45–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, V.R. and Newton, I.P. (1986) Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizas at a sub-Antarctic island. Soil Biol. Biochem. 18, 547–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, H.G. and Tearle, P.V. (1985) Aspects of microbial and protozoan abundances in Signy Island fellfields. Brit. Antarct. Surv. Bull. 66, 19–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M.J. and Walton, D.W.H. (1986) Decomposition of grass and moss litter in subantarctic tundra. Pedobiologia 29, 193–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soneda, M. (1961) On some yeasts from the Antarctic region. Biol. Res. Jap. Res. Expedition 15, 3–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, H.S., Huppert, M. and Cameron, R.E. (1978) Identification of some fungi from soil and air of Antarctica. Antarc. Res. Ser. 30, 1–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toyoda, S., Matsumae, A., Ghoda, A. and Aiso, M. (1986) Total number of bacteria and fungi as an index for human pollution at Syowa Station in Antarctica. 1. Special reference to the specimen collected by 18th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (in Japanese). Japan. J. Bacteriol. 41, 527–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tubaki, K. and Asano, I. (1965) Additional species of fungi isolated from the Antarctic materials. Japan. Antarct. Exp. Rep., Series E 27, 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ugolini, F.C. and Starkey, R.L. (1966) Soils and microorganisms from Mount Erebus, Antarctica. Nature 211, 440–1.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Uden, N. (1984) Temperature profiles of yeasts. Adv. Microb. Physiol. 25, 195–251.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vishniac, H.S. (1985a) Cryptococcus socialis sp. nov. and Cryptococcus consortinis sp. nov., Antarctic Basidioblastomycetes. Int. J. System. Bacteriol. 35, 119–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vishniac, H.S. (1985b) Cryptococcus friedmannii, a new species of yeast from the Antarctic. Mycologia 77, 149–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vishniac, H.S. (1993) Microbiology of Antarctic Soils. In Antarctic Microbiology (E.I. Friedmann, ed.) pp. 297–341. New York: Wiley-Liss.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vishniac, H.S. and Baharaeen, S. (1982) Five new Basidioblastomyceteous yeast species segregated from Cryptococcus vishniacii emend, auct., an Antarctic yeast species comprising four new varieties. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 32, 437–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vishniac, H.S. and Hempfling, W.P. (1979) Evidence of an indigenous microbiota (yeast) in the dry valleys of Antarctica. J. Gen. Microbiol. 112, 301–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vishniac, H.S. and Kurtzman, C.P. (1992) Cryptococcus antarcticus sp. nov. and Cryptococcus albidosimilis sp: nov., basidioblastomycetes from Antarctic soils. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 42, 547–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wicklow, D.T. (1968) Aspergillus fumigatus isolated from ornithogenic soil collected at Hallett Station, Antarctica. Can. J. Microbiol. 14, 717–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, P.C., Roser, D.J. and Seppelt, R.D. (1994) Mycorrhizas of hepatics in continental Antarctica. Mycol. Res. 98, 34–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wynn-Williams, D.D. (1982) Simulation of seasonal changes in microbial activity of maritime Antarctic peat. Soil Biol. Biochem. 14, 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wynn-Williams, D.D. (1985) Comparative microbiology of moss-peat decomposition on the Scotia Arc and Antarctic Peninsula. In Proceedings of the 4th Scientific Committee Antarctic Res. Symp. Antarctic Biol. (W.R. Siegfried, P.R. Condy and R.M. Laws, eds) pp. 204–10. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Molecular Geneties, Oklahoma State University, 74075, Stillwater, OK, USA

    H. S. Vishniac

Authors
  1. H. S. Vishniac
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vishniac, H.S. Biodiversity of yeasts and filamentous microfungi in terrestrial Antarctic ecosystems. Biodivers Conserv 5, 1365–1378 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00051983

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00051983

Keywords

Search

Navigation