Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Polar microorganisms and climate: Influence of climate changes on microbial biodiversity, biogeochemical processes and biomolecules  (Polar microorganisms)

Outline
Microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, microfungi and algae) constitute a large fraction of every ecological niche on Earth, and they are the driving force of key life processes, e.g. cycling of nutrients, bioremediation and nitrogen fixation. Furthermore, polar microorganisms have been shown to be sources of new biomedical molecules. Polar environments are expected to undergo the largest changes due to future global climate changes, and thus, it is of utmost importance to study microbial biodiversity in polar environments and to investigate the impact of climate changes on polar microorganisms. In this project, interdisciplinary activities involving biology, biochemistry, geology, pharmaceutical sciences, biomedicin and law shall will be combined in a study of polar microorganisms. The activities comprise, but are not restricted to, the following subprojects:1.Study of microbial diversity in polar environments, which are influenced by global climate changes. Ikaite tufa columns in SW Greenland constitute one of the most endangered niches in the polar environment. The columns are truly unique, forming the only known non-hypersaline habitat on Earth with a constant high pH and low temperature. However, the columns face an uncertain future of increasing global temperatures because the metastable mineral ikaite disintegrates at temperatures above +6°C. Other fragile polar environments are cold and warm springs in West and East Greenland, respectively. Preliminary investigations have shown that ikaite columns and homothermic springs harbour a very large biodiversity including new microorganisms not described from any other environment on Earth. 2.Investigation of microbial bioremediation of pollutants, which have a strong negative impact on the polar environment. Several pollutants like PCB and heavy metals have been detected in the polar environments for decades. However, only limited knowledge exists on the ability of cold-active microorganisms to degrade or detoxify such harmfull pollutants in the relevant environment. 3.Development of molecules useful to man from polar microorganisms. Several ecological niches in the Arctic and Antarctic harbour new and undescribed microorganisms, which may serve as ressources for the development of new antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, industrial enzymes, fertilisers, pesticides, etc. The biotechnology industry has successfully exploited heat tolerant microorganisms, and it is anticipated that cold-active organisms may serve as similar valuable resources of bioactive molecules with potential application in biomedicin and pharmaceuticals, as well as for enzymes of importance for biotechnology.In order to explore new scientific frontiers and to deepen our understanding of polar microbial processes and their global linkages, it is necessary to improve our knowledge of polar microbial biodiversity, the interactions among microbes, and their responses to human activities and climate change.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Theme 1 and 2: The effect on polar microorganisms of climate and man-made changes in polar environments will be monitored through investigations of microbial diversity and biogeochemical processes.Theme 3: Links between polar environments and similar ecological niches will be made, as parallels may be drawn to ecological niches outside the polar region.Theme 4: New frontiers of science will be achieved, since novel, interdisciplinary technology will be combined and implemented in the study of new ecological niches.Theme 6: The human dimension is in focus, since microorganisms may strongly influence polar environments. Furthermore, microbial diversity may be developed as a valuable natural resource for circumpolar human societies.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Home rule of Greenland. NUNA Biotech Aps. Prof. Richard W. Castenholz, Univ. Oregon, Eugene, USA, is collaborating on identification and cultivation of microorganisms from hot springs in East Greenland. MECBIO Nordic network on microbial ecology and bioremediation in arctic environment. University of Bergen, UNIS Svalbard, University of Ås; Goetheburg University; University of Helsinki. Greenland Resources: Collaboration on water quality from the Greenland icecap. Currently trying to establish an international consortium of mainly Danish, American and Russian scientists for an in-depth study of the microbiology of ikait columns.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Greenland, marine and terrestrial environments around and in Greenland, e.g. the Ikka Fjord, homothermic springs on Disco Island, West Greenland and in East Greenland north and south of Scoresby Sund. Arctic Station on Disko. Zackenberg Station. Young Sound (Daneborg).

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 06/06-10/06      06/07-12/07      01/08-12/08
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Ships and scuba divers for sampling ikaite columns, satellite communication access for transmission of signals from sensors in ikaite columns, warm springs and other environments, helicopter transportation in East Greenland for field work and surveys. All logistic facilities can be shared with other projects.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The project will establish a network of monitoring in specific Arctic habitats (Ikait columns and homeothermic springs), and will bring together a group of specialists on microbial diversity and activity determination.

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

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
NO - The Danish Nat ional Committee for IPY has no mandate to endorse individual projectproposals. However, the project fulfills the national strategic themes.

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

The partners in the project have individually performed pilot projects in polar microbiology. This project is the first combined project in which the partners will work together, plan logistic operations and share information and results within the area polar microbiology.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be coordinated and managed by a project coordinator. The project coordinator will be responsible for the contact between the project and the Joint Committee for IPY and to the National IPY Committee.Each partner will be responsible for his own sub-project (e.g. sub-project organisation, budget, staff, sampling, results, and publication).A steering committee composed of the project coordinator and representatives from each partner shall secure optimal collaboration between the partners of the project and with external researchers.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The main educational focus is to attract and educate future polar microbiologists, preferently from Greenland. An active program for Masters and Ph.D. students will be established and special courses will be organized on Greenland. Furthermore, results will be compiled and communicated to local authorities and other key persons in Greenland, in particular to local companies, e.g. NUNA Biotech, Aps and Greenland Resources in Greenland.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Physical and chemical data collected in the project and transmissed via sattelite will be collected in a data centre with back up security and will be available on a project web page on the Internet.Partners in the project will comply with the international Convention on Biological Diversity (The RIO Convention).

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The individual project partners are responsible for funding their sub-projects via national and/or international funds as well as from private sources.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
This project “Polar Microbiology” encompasses two projects previously reported to IPY, Project no. ID 312 Characterization of Ikaite tufa columns in the Ikka Fjord, SW Greenland and Project no. ID 302 Bioactive compounds from Arctic microorganismsFurthermore, a number of national grants form the Danish Research Council, the Carlsberg Foundation and Commission for Scientific Research in Greenland (KVUG) have funded previous microbiological studies of the participants on Greenland.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Associate Professor Peter Stougaard
The Royal Veterinary and Agriculture University, Denmark
Department of Ecology, Section for Genetics and Microbiology
Thorvaldsens Vej 40, Copenhagen
DK-1871 Frederiksberg C
Denmark

Tel: +45 35 28 26 09
Mobile: no
Fax: +45 35 28 26 06
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation