Description
Intetidal hot springs present on the coast of lceland are extreme environments, where unique extremophiles organisms have to cope with severe physical factors to survive. These organisms are mostly microbial communities which have to deal with extreme temperature, salinity, PAR, UV and nutrient fluctuations along the day, some of them being affected by global change. The objective of the present project is to analyze and understand the adaptation capacity of these communities to these factors (mainly temperature and UV radiation), both under natural and laboratory-controlled conditions, in order to be able to identify sensitive and non-sensitive microbial mats to climate change. Donor partner, MATIS BlOTECH, a government owned, independent research company in Iceland, will supply with laboratory and office space for the researcher project promoter. MATIS BIOITECH is interested in the biotechnological applications of the results of the project. Project promoter, University of Málaga, provide an extensive expertise in the experimental approached and hypothesis offered, with more than 15 years of experience in this field, mostly related to ecophysiology of marine photosynthetic organisms, molecular taxonomy and phylogeny related to extreme environments. The interdisciplinary approach with expertise in microbiology, molecular biology, bioinformatics and geochemistry provides a framework for an in depth investigation of important factors affecting the community structure of these habitats.
Summary of project results
The intertidal upwelling of hot water present on the coast of Iceland represent extreme environments where extremophiles have to endure to survive severe physical factors: These organism are mostly microbial communities, which have to deal with temperatures, salinities, PARE, UV and extreme daily nutrients fluctuations, many of which are affected by climate change. The objective of this project is to analyse and understand the adaptive capacity of these communities and their constituents to these stress factors, both under natural conditions and under controlled laboratory conditions, to identify sensitive communities and non-sensitive to the effects of climate change. The activities performed included: 1) Laboratory experiments, on the effect of temperature on adaptive stress response to photoinhibition and recovery process; 2) Field experiments: analysis of in situ photosynthetic activity of microbial mats from geothermal eulittoral buckets under tidal regimes; 3) Drafting a research project sent to the Icelandic Research fund 2016, leaded by Dr. H. Björsdóttir Snoedís. Entitled The dynamics of intertidal hot spring communities. During her stay at Matis Biotec (Iceland), María Altamirano from University of Málaga (Spain) met and collaborated with different researchers at the host institution, as well as the University of Iceland. She also participated in a field campaign that was part of the work plan coordinated by these two institutions. As a result of the collaboration, a joint scientific article has been submitted (Photosyntetic response of intertidal high-temperature phototrophic microbial mats (SW, Iceland) to seasonal variation, temperature and salinity), and two others shall be prepared once the data from field and laboratory experiments are analysed.
Summary of bilateral results
Following the collaboration initiated between University of Malaga and Matis Biotec thanks to NILS programme, partners have identified further cooperation opportunities. This collaboration is expected to be formalized through a framework cooperation agreement between the two institutions, including not only scientific and research exchange, but also students exchanges, exchange of academic expertise, learning techniques and others. Partners have drafted a research project entitled “The dynamics of intertidal hotspring communities”, leaded by H. Snoedís Björnsdóttir from Matis Biotec, and submitted it to the Icelandic research Fund. This project would last three years and the grantee would be integrated as collaborator.