The overall aim of AAS No. 4406 is to understand how atmospheric chemotrophy supports primary production and drives microbial community structure in eastern Antarctica. We resampled three remote locations (pictured below) using the same geospatial design and diversity assessments. The purpose of the activity is to collect soil for analysis back in Australia as part of a decadal plan to monitor community shifts and potential effects from global change between 2005 and 2018 at three sites in the Windmill Islands. This research will challenge our global understanding of the biological sciences, as a new strategy for survival at the nutritional limits of life will be described with ramifications for understanding global hydrogen and carbon cycling.
Check out more from “this week at casey”: http://www.antarctica.gov.au/living-and-working/stations/casey/this-week-at-casey/2019/this-week-at-casey-8-march-2019
#1: Robinson Ridge
#2: Mitchell Peninsula
#3: Browning Peninsula