Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Introduced and indigenous fungi of the Ross Island historic huts and pristine areas of Antarctica

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Polar Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This review summarizes research concerning Antarctic fungi at the century-old historic huts of the Heroic Period of exploration in the Ross Dependency 1898–1917 and fungi in pristine terrestrial locations. The motivation of the research was initially to identify potential fungal causes of degradation of the historic huts and artifacts. The research was extended to study fungal presence at pristine sites for comparison purposes and to consider the role of fungi in the respective ecosystems. We employed classical microbiology for isolation of viable organisms, and culture-independent DNA analyses. The research provided baseline data on microbial biodiversity. Principal findings were that there is significant overlap of the yeasts and filamentous fungi isolated from the historic sites, soil, and historic-introduced materials (i.e., wood, foodstuffs) and isolated from environmental samples in pristine locations. Aerial spore monitoring confirmed that winter spore counts were high and, in some cases, similar to those found in summer. Microbial diversity varied between the three Ross Island historic sites, and one historic site showed noticeably higher diversity, which led to the conclusion that this is a variable that should not be generalized. Cultured fungi were cold active, and the broader scientific significance of this finding was that climate change (warming) may not adversely affect these fungal species unless they were out-competed by new arrivals or unfavorable changes in ecosystem domination occur.

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

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aislabie J, Fraser R, Duncan S, Farrell RL (2001) Effects of oil spills on microbial heterotrophs in Antarctic soils. Polar Biol 24:308–313

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arenz BE, Blanchette RA (2009) Investigations of fungal diversity in wooden structures and soils at historic sites on the Antarctic Peninsula. Can J Microbiol 55:46–56

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arenz BE, Blanchette RA (2011) Distribution and abundance of soil fungi in Antarctica at sites on the Peninsula, Ross Sea Region, and McMurdo dry valleys. Soil Biol Biochem 43:308–315

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arenz BE, Held BW, Jurgens JA, Farrell RL, Blanchette RA (2006) Fungal diversity in soils and historic wood from the Ross Sea region of Antarctica. Soil Biol Biochem 38:3057–3064

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arenz BE, Held BW, Jurgens JA, Blanchette RA (2011) Fungal colonization of exotic substrates in Antarctica. Fungal Diversity. doi: 10.1007/s13225-010-0079-4

  • Azmi OR, Seppelt RD (1998) Broad scale distribution of microfungi in the Windmill Islands, continental Antarctica. Polar Biol 19:92–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchette RA, Held BW, Farrell RL (2002) Defibration of wood in the expedition huts of Antarctica: an unusual deterioration process occurring in the polar environment. Polar Rec 38:313–322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchette RA, Held BW, Jurgens JA, Aislabie J, Duncan S, Farrell RL (2004a) Environmental pollutants from the Scott and Shackleton expeditions during the ‘Heroic Age’ of Antarctic exploration. Polar Rec 40:143–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchette RA, Held BW, Jurgens JA, McNew DL, Harrington TC, Duncan SM, Farrell RL (2004b) Wood destroying Soft-rot fungi in the historic expeditions Huts of Antarctica. Appl Environ Microbiol 70:1328–1335

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchette RA, Held BW, Jurgens JA (2008) Northumberland House, Fort Conger and the Peary Huts in the Canadian High Arctic: current condition and assessment of wood deterioration taking place. In: Barr S, Chaplin P (eds) Historical polar bases preservation and management. ICOMOS Monuments and Sites No. XVII. Int Polar Heritage Committee, Oslo, pp 30–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Blanchette RA, Held BW, Arenz BE, Jurgens JA, Baltes NJ, Duncan SM, Farrell RL (2010) An Antarctic hot spot for fungi at Shackleton’s historic hut on Cape Royds. Microbial Ecol 60:29–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Connell L, Redman R, Craig S, Scorzeti G, Iszard M, Rodriquez R (2008) Diversity of soil yeasts isolated from South Victoria Land, Antarctica. Microb Ecol 56:448–459

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Connell L, Redman R, Craig S, Scorzeti G, Iszard M, Rodriquez R (2010) Dioszegia antarctica sp nov and Dioszegia cryoxerica sp nov., psychrophilic basidiomycetous yeasts from polar desert soils in Antarctica. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 60:1466–1472

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  • di Menna ME (1960) Yeasts from Antarctica. J Gen Microbiol 23:295–300

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duncan SM (2007) Fungal diversity and cellulolytic activity in the historic huts of Ross Island, Antarctica. Dissertation, University of Waikato

  • Duncan SM, Farrell RL, Thwaites JM, Held BW, Arenz BE, Jurgens JA, Blanchette RA (2006) Endoglucanase-producing fungi isolated from Cape Evans historic expedition hut on Ross Island, Antarctica. Environ Microb 8:1212–1219

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duncan SM, Minasaki R, Farrell RL, Thwaites JM, Held BW, Arenz BE, Jurgens JA, Blanchette RA (2008) Screening fungi isolated from historic Discovery Hut on Ross, Island, Antarctica for cellulose degradation. Antarct Sci 21:1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Duncan SM, Farrell RL, Jordan N, Jurgens JA, Blanchette RA (2010) Monitoring and identification of airborne fungi at historic locations on Ross Island, Antarctica. Polar Sci 4:275–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrell RL, Blanchette RA, Auger M, Duncan SM, Held BW, Jurgens JE, Minasaki R (2004) Scientific evaluation of deterioration in historic huts of Ross Island, Antarctica. In: Barr S, Chaplin P (eds) Polar monuments and sites cultural heritage work in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. ICOMOS Monuments and Sites No.VIII. Int Polar Heritage Committee, Oslo, pp 33–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Farrell RL, Duncan SM, Blanchette RA, Held BW, Jurgens JA, Arenz BE (2008) Scientific evaluation of deterioration of historic huts of Ross Island, Antarctica. In: Barr S, Chaplin P (eds) Historical polar bases–preservation and management. ICOMOS monuments and sites No. XVII. Int Polar Heritage Committee, Oslo, pp 96–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerday CMA, Arpigny JL, Baise E, Chessa J-P, Garsoux G, Petrescu I, Feller G (1997) Psychrophilic enzymes: a thermodynamic challenge. Biochim Biophys Acta 1342:119–131

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Greenfield L (1981) Soil microbiological studies. In: Wilson G (ed) Antarctic expedition No. 19. University of Canterbury, Christchurch, pp 4–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrington TC, McNew DL (2003) Phylogenetic analysis places the Phialophora-like anamorph genus Cadophora in the Helotiales. Mycotaxon 87:141–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrowfield D (1989) The historic huts of Ross Island: an important recreation/tourism resource. Antarct Rec 9:65–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Held BW, Blanchette RA, Jurgens JA, Duncan S, Farrell RL (2003) Deterioration and conservation issues associated with Antarctica’s historic huts. In: Koestler RJ, Koestler VR, Charloa AE, Nieto-Fernandez FE (eds) Art, biology, and conservation: biodeterioration of works of art. The metropolitan museum of art. New York and Yale University Press, New Haven, pp 370–389

    Google Scholar 

  • Held BW, Jurgens JA, Arenz BE, Duncan SM, Farrell RL, Blanchette RA (2005) Environmental factors influencing microbial growth inside the historic expedition huts of Ross Island, Antarctica. Int Biodeterior Biodegradation 55:45–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Held BW, Jurgens JA, Duncan SM, Farrell RL, Blanchette RA (2006) Assessment of fungal diversity and deterioration in a wooden structure at New Harbor, Antarctica. Polar Biol 29:526–531

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jurgens JA, Blanchette RA, Filley TR (2009) Fungal diversity and deterioration in mummified woods from the ad Astra Ice Cap region in the Canadian High Arctic. Polar Biol 32:751–758

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerry E (1990) Effect of temperature on growth rates of fungi from Subantarctic Macquarie Island and Casey, Antarctica. Polar Biol 10:293–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Kidston R, Lang WH (1921) On old redstone plants showing structure, from the Rhynie Chert Bed, Aberdeenshire. Trans R Soc Edinb 52:855–902

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall WA (1997) Seasonality in Antarctic Airborne fungal spores. Appl Environ Microbiol 63:2240–2245

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall WA (1998) Aerial transport of keratinaceous substrate and distrubution of the fungus Geomyces pannorum in Antarctic soils. Microb Ecol 36:212–219

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer GH, Morrow MB, Wyss O (1962) Viable micro-organisms in a fifty-year old yeast preparation in Antarctica. Nature 196:598

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer GH, Morrow MB, Wyss O (1963) Viable organisms from faeces and foodstuffs from early Antarctic expeditions. Can J Microbiol 9:163–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nedwell DB, Russell NJ, Cresswell-Maynard T (1994) Long-term survival of microorganisms in frozen material from early Antarctic base camps at McMurdo Sound. Antarct Sci 6:67–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Onofri S, Selbmann L, Zucconi L, Pagano S (2004) Antarctic microfungi as model exobiology. Planet Space Sci 52:229–237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pasanen AL, Juutinen T, Jantunen MJ, Kalliokoski P (1992) Occurrence and moisture requirements of microbial growth in building materials. Int Biodeterior Biodegradation 30:273–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pointing SB, Chan Y, Lacap DC, Lau MCY, Jurgens J, Farrell RL (2009) Highly specialized microbial diversity in hyper-arid polar desert. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 106:19964–19969

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson CH (2001) Cold adaption in Arctic and Antarctic fungi. New Phytol 151:341–353

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stchigel AM, Cano J, MacCormack W, Guarro J (2001) Antarctomyces psychrotrophicus gen. et sp. nov., a new ascomycete from Antarctica. Mycol Res 105:377–382

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stubblefield SP, Taylor TN (1983) Studies of Paleozoic fungi. I. The structure and organization of Traquairia (Ascomycota). Am J Bot 70:387–399

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor TN, White JF (1989) Fossil Fungi (Endogonaceae) from the Triassic of Antarctica. Am J Bot 76:389–396

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas-Hall SR, Turchetti B, Buzzini P, Branda E, Boekhout T, Theelen B, Watson K (2010) Cold-adapted yeasts from Antarctica and the Italian Alps-description of three novel species: Mrakia robertii sp nov., Mrakia blollopis sp nov and Mrakiella niccombsii sp nov. Extremophiles 14:47–59

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tosi S, Casado B, Gerdol R, Caretta G (2002) Fungi isolated from Antarctic mosses. Polar Biol 25:262–268

    Google Scholar 

  • Vishniac HS (1996) Biodiversity of yeasts and filamentous fungi in terrestrial Antarctic ecosystems. Biodivers Conserv 5:1365–1378

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White JF Jr, Taylor TN (1988) Triassic fungus from Antarctica with possible ascomycetous affinities. Am J Bot 75:1495–1500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao N, Suzuki K, Nishimiya Y, Kondo H, Miura A, Tsuda T, Hoshino T (2010) Comparison of functional properties of two fungal antifreeze proteins from Antarctomyces psychrotrophicus and Typhula ishikariensis. FEBS J 277:394–403

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank support personnel of Scott Base and McMurdo Station for their assistance in conducting this research in Antarctica, Antarctica New Zealand, National Science Foundation for logistic support, and Nigel Watson and Antarctic Heritage Trust for support and cooperation. Also, thanks to David Harrowfield of Oamaru and Jackie Aislabie of Landcare Research for helpful discussions and suggestions to the manuscript and to Professor Michael J Danson of University of Bath for helpful discussions of the research. This research is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Grant No. 0537143 and the Vice Chancellor’s Fund of The University of Waikato.

Author information

Author notes

  1. S. M. Duncan

    Present address: Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand

    R. L. Farrell & S. M. Duncan

  2. Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    B. E. Arenz, B. W. Held, J. A. Jurgens & R. A. Blanchette

Authors
  1. R. L. Farrell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B. E. Arenz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. M. Duncan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. B. W. Held
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J. A. Jurgens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. R. A. Blanchette
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. L. Farrell.

Additional information

This article is an invited contribution on Global Tipping Points (Global Change and Antarctic Terrestrial Biodiversity) and part of the SCAR EBA program. I. Hogg and D. Wall (Guest Editors).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Farrell, R.L., Arenz, B.E., Duncan, S.M. et al. Introduced and indigenous fungi of the Ross Island historic huts and pristine areas of Antarctica. Polar Biol 34, 1669–1677 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-011-1060-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-011-1060-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation