Abstract

The risks of invasions of remote ecosystems by new microorganisms is a major threat as they are likely to impact the diversity and function of resident communities and local ecosystems. In the Arctic, aerial transport is the primary source of new biological inputs. Airborne communities are believed to be influenced by environmental and climatic conditions, which are already changing rapidly on a global scale, but especially in the Arctic region. Yet, the influence of climate change, weather patterns and environmental conditions on these airborne communities are still unclear. Airborne microorganisms are known to travel intercontinental distances and if they survive, they may colonize previously remote and potentially pristine environments. In the Arctic, the Polar Dome may currently limit such invasions but warm and moist air mass intrusions from mid-latitudes to the Arctic may provide a new highway for airborne microorganisms. Despite the essential role of these airborne microorganisms in ecosystem dynamics and their contribution to precipitation patterns, many questions remain on their role, diversity and dynamics. In this seminar, we will take a look at some of the studies undertaken to date and our plans to answer some of these questions in the future.

Bio

The underlying theme of my research is to use microbiology (and in particular novel molecular techniques applied to microbial ecology, microbial biodiversity and activity, environmental genomics, biogeochemical cycling and model extremophiles) to understand Polar ecosystem function and the potential for shifts in biogeochemical activity that may result from environmental change. I have taken the lead in the development of new frontiers of research in metagenomics, chemosynthetic communities, sediment sequestration of carbon and subglacial lake environments and have initiated new interdisciplinary approaches on the aerial environment (with chemists), ice nucleation activity (with physicists) and in the biogeochemistry of ice (with glaciologists).
 

David A. Pearce. Professor of Bioscience (Environmental Microbiology), Northumbria University

The seminar will also be streamed on Zoom: https://stockholmuniversity.zoom.us/j/66206406448