Antarctica: this multidisciplinary research, with the participation of the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), aims to discover How airborne microorganisms connect distant ecosystems and play a crucial role in our global climate and ecological systems.
With the aim of expanding our understanding of the distribution of microorganisms in the atmosphere and its impact on global biogeography, MICROAIRPOLAR-2 project begins its second phase as part of the Spanish Antarctic Campaign 2023-2024.
This ambitious project aims to reveal how airborne organisms, a vast diversity of microorganisms present in the atmosphere, play a crucial role in the connectivity between ecosystems, even in the extreme conditions of the atmosphere. Antarctica.
The importance of studying these organisms lies in their ability to travel long distances, influencing disciplines as varied as epidemiology, microbial ecology, the study of invasive species, meteorology and climatology. Despite its relevance, atmospheric microbiology has thus far been a relatively unexplored field, mainly due to the experimental challenges associated with collecting and analyzing samples in the atmosphere.
He MICROAIRPOLAR-2 projectwho continues his previous research, will focus on understanding the aerosolization, deposition and viability of plane planets, especially those originating from the most emblematic Antarctic ecosystems.
To this end, research activities will be carried out at different latitudes during the southern summer, using the facilities of the Spanish Antarctic Program and working closely with the Portuguese Polar Program (PROPOLAR) and the Turkish Science and Technology Council (TUBITAK) .
Antarctica: field study
The field study, which will be conducted on the Byers Peninsula on Livingston Island, will attempt to determine the environmental conditions that promote the aerosolization of microorganisms. This process involves collecting samples at different heights using eight Microaircollector air collectors designed by the research team and analyzing temperature and wind data to understand the turbulent movements of particles.
In addition, the deposition of air travelers during rain or snow precipitation will be analyzed, using large collectors developed in collaboration with the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), as well as an innovative video disdrometer that will allow the physical characteristics of the precipitation to be studied and the its influence on aircraft money laundering.
The project will also investigate the microbiological footprint left by these microorganisms near penguin colonies, elephant colonies and areas with microbial mats, using light boats and participating in the COASTANTAR 2024 expedition on board the sailboat El Doblón, which will access will provide access to remote locations. with a lower ecological footprint.
Thanks to the multidisciplinary approach, which integrates specialists in biology, statistics, mathematics, computer science, physics, meteorology and engineering, MICROAIRPOLAR-2 is willing to offer insights unprecedented in the field of microbial biogeography and its dynamics in a climate change context. The results will not only advance our knowledge of atmospheric microbiology, but could also have significant implications for several scientific and ecological fields.