Life Found in Darkness: Microbes Thrive Under Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf

Exam-Focused Points 

• Location:  Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica (largest ice shelf).

• Environment:  Dark, cold, isolated from sunlight.

• Microbes found:  Aerobic lithoautotrophic archaea & bacteria, heterotrophic microbes.

• Energy source:  Chemosynthesis (ammonium, nitrite, sulfur compounds).

• First study published:  2022 in  Nature Communications .

• Second study:  2024 – functional microbial community described.

• Methods used:  Metagenomics (DNA) and metatranscriptomics (RNA activity).

• Viruses present:  Infect chemolithoautotrophic organisms; control populations.

• Ammonium oxidation rates:  Comparable to winter Antarctic Ocean.

FAQ 

Q1: Where were these microbes found?
A: Hundreds of metres beneath the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica.

Q2: How do they get energy without sunlight?
A: Through chemosynthesis, using chemicals like ammonium and sulfur.

Q3: When was the first study published?
A: In 2022 in the journal  Nature Communications .

Q4: What scientific methods were used?
A: Metagenomics (studying DNA) and metatranscriptomics (studying active RNA).

Q5: Why are viruses important in this ecosystem?
A: They infect microbes, control their populations, and help recycle nutrients.