Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Inventory of Microbial Diversity in Polar Regions  (MicroPoles)

Outline
Extremely cold and dry terrains of the Antarctica are among the most severe habitats on the Earth, and may be inhabited by selected extremophilic or extremotolerant microorganisms, at least more dominantly than in other normal habitats. On the other hand, the Arctic terrains may have experienced unique microbial successions due to the change in ice coverage by cyclic glaciation and deglaciation. Those polar microbial communities (including microalgae, fungi, lichens, micro-animals, and habitat samples such as rocks and plants) are expected to involve novel and/or beneficial species, and thus the construction of a polar microbial culture collection has been needed. This research project targets at: 1) basic understanding of evolution and phylogeny of polar microorganisms, and 2) industrial assessment of unique physiological and biochemical characteristics of polar microorganisms as potential biological resources, in collaborations with glaciological, limnological, and plant ecological studies.Those microorganisms will be collected from various polar habitats such as: 1) Vegetated terrains near Syowa Station (Japan) and Terra Nova Bay Station (Italy) as well as the Arctic field laboratory in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, where plant ecology to be linked with microbiological investigations; 2) Dry terrains of the McMurdo Dry Valleys and near Terra Nova Bay Station, being analogous to Martian terrain with extremely low temperature and low humidity; 3) Ponds and lakes near Syowa Station that have been characterized during the Research on Ecology and Geohistory of Antarctic Lakes (REGAL) Project, NIPR; and, 4) Glaciers and sub-glacier lakes that serve as “time capsules” over the past a few hundred thousand years or longer, including the Vostok Station and Lake Vostok (US and Russia), Dome C (France-Italy), and Dome F (Japan). Proposed in situ activity includes collection and primary cultivation of microorganisms from polar habitats, general characterization, and preparation for short- to long-term preservation for further detailed and sophisticated analyses.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This project will facilitate an inventory of microorganisms (including microalgae, fungi, lichens and micro-animals)inhabiting pristine and human-impacted polar habitats. Surveys of microbial assemblages (microflorae) in pristine habitats provide the “natural reference” to be compared with those of human-impacted areas, and also give bases to monitoring of microfloral changes associated with exploration and exploitation in the polar regions. Furthermore, investigations of microbial communities in hardly accessible areas will provide the real cutting-edges of extermophilic life forms that open the frontiers of physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology on scientific and industrial bases.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Collaboration with Dr. Sabit Abyzov, who is the leading scientist of glacier microbiology at Institute of Microbiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, will be conducted on a personal basis with Japanese funds. We have already collaborated and published two relevant articles.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
This research project focuses on four study areas of 1) vegetated terrains, 2) dry terrains, 3) ponds and lakes, and 4) glaciers and sub-glacier lakes. The candidate areas considered are McMurdo Dry Valleys, Terra Nova Bay Station, Syowa Station, Ny-Ålesund, Vostok Station, Dome C, and Dome F.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 07/07 – 08/07      07/08 – 08/08      
Antarctic: 11/07 – 03/08      11/08 – 03/09      12/07 – 02/08

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
This research project requires Snow terrain vehicles, Helicopters, Existing filed stations, New field stations, Observatories, and/or Ice drilling capabilities, which can be shared by other projects.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Yes, if this project will establish one or more new filed stations, they will be a legacy of infrastructure.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

This project depends on National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR), Japan, and NIPR-based international collaborations for logistics and other needed supports.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This proposed project has been “endorsed” by the Japanese national committee.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
yes

This is a newly proposed project, but is based on already-established multi-institutional collaboration in which NIPR, Japan, has been playing a pivotal role.

How will the project be organised and managed?
This project will be planned by all the field- and non-field participants; organized by the principle investigator (PI; the lead contact proponent) and a few co-PIs from different institutions; and managed by the help of NIPR’s Department of Biology and/or other institutes for multiple secretariat functions.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
This project provides the opportunities of master/doctoral theses studies for graduate students in general microbiology and plant ecology from national and foreign universities/institutes. Highlights of obtained results having much publicity may be used for various outreach programs of national and foreign agencies.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
The obtained data will be deposited to and managed by the NIPR and/or other institutes, and the relevant research priority will be secured for a fixed period (tentatively minimum 3 years) ahead of being publicized.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The PI and co-PIs will apply for major funding opportunities in Japan such as Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS); and Strategic International Cooperative Program by Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), as well as for all other possible opportunities.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
NIPR and the PI have been collaborated in Antarctic microbiological studies since 2000.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr. Takeshi Naganuma
Hiroshima University
1-4-4 Kagamiyama
Higashi-hiroshima
739-8528
Japan

Tel: +81-(0)82-424-7986
Mobile: +81-(0)90-1187-4587
Fax: +81-(0)82-424-7916
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation