Antarctic Terrestrial Microbiology brings together many of the world's leading experts in the fields of Antarctic terrestrial soil ecology, providing a comprehensive and completely up-to-date analysis of the status of Antarctic soil microbiology. Antarctic terrestrial soils represent one of the most extreme environments on Earth. Once thought to be largely sterile, it is now known that these diverse and often specialized extreme habitats harbor a very wide range of different microorganisms. Antarctic soil communities are relatively simple, but not unsophisticated. Recent phylogenetic and microscopic studies have demonstrated that these communities have well established trophic structuring and play a significant role in nutrient cycling in these cold and often dry desert ecosystems. They are surprisingly responsive to change and potentially sensitive to climatic perturbation. Antarctic terrestrial soils also harbor specialized 'refuge'habitats, where microbial communities develop under (and within) translucent rocks. These cryptic habitats offer unique models for understanding the physical and biological 'drivers' of community development, function and evolution.
- General introduction, Don Cowan, University of Pretoria, SA
- Geology, geomorphology and soil development, Brian Storey, University of Canterbury, NZ
- Soil structure and physicochemical properties, JG Bockheim, UCLA, USA
- Soil water relations, Chris McKay, NASA Ames, USA
- Climate and soil, Payman Reza and Marwan Karturgi, University of Canterbury, NZ
- Soil-microbial interactions and processes: nutrient cycling, John Barrett, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, USA
- Primary productivity in Antarctic soils, David Hopkins, University of Stirling, UK
- Soil microbial community structure, Charlie Lee, Craig Cary, University of Waikato, NZ
- Invertebrates 1 (macroinvertebrates), Dianna Wall, Colorado State University, USA
- Invertebrates 2 (microinvertebrates), Ian Hogg, University of Waikato, NZ and Mark Stephens, Adelaide University, AU
- The soil microvirome, Rick Cavicchioli, University of NSW, AU
- Fungal diversity in Antarctic soils, Roberta Farrell, University of Waikato, NZ
- Cryptic and refuge habitats, Steve Pointing, University of Hong Kong, China, Don Cowan, University of Pretoria, SA
- Fell-field soil microbiology , Etienne Yergeau, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, NL
- Ornithogenic soil microbiology, Jackie Aislabie, NIWA, NZ
- Thermally heated soils, Ian McDonald, University of Waikato, NZ
- Nunatuk microbiology
- Sub-soil habitats; permafrost, David Gilichinsky, Moscow, Russia
- Soil crusts, Burkardt Budel, University of Kaiserslautern, DE
- Threats to soil communities: human impacts, Kevin Hughes, BAS, UK
- Climate change and microbial populations, Etienne Yergeau, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, NL