Czech Polar Reports

Activity of catalase and superoxidedismutase in leaves of halophyte plants under the tidal dynamics of the White Sea

Elena N. Terebova — 2025-03-02

Activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes in the leaves of halophyte plants Triglochin maritima L., Plantago maritima L., Tripolium vulgare Bess. ex Nees and Zostera marina L. was investigated in a 2-year field experiment carried out in the community of the middle littoral marsh on the Pomor (western) coast of the White Sea (Belomorsk region, Russia). The community Tripolium vulgare–Bolboschoenus maritimus–Triglochin maritima–Plantago maritima, was investigated during the tidal cycle. The plants grew under conditions of seawater pollution with high concentration of nitrates (43.68 mgl^-1), iron (0.15 mgl^-1), nickel (0.15 mgl^-1) and lead (0.024 mgl^-1). The total projective cover of species in the plant community reached 50% for T. vulgare, and 20% for other dominant species. A direct positive correlation was found between the activity of CAT and SOD in halophyte leaves (r = 0.51–0.68). This research revealed the species specificity of the enzyme activity level in Z. marina. The activity of CAT and SOD in its leaves was significantly lower (0.16±0.06 µmol H₂O₂/µg of protein; 2.61±0.08 c.u./mg of protein, respectively), than in other species. The maximum values of CAT activity were found in T. vulgare and T. maritima (0.23–0.26 μmol H₂O₂/μg of protein), and SOD in T. vulgare 4.65 ± 1.12 c.u./mg of protein. The activity of CAT in plant leaves varied over a wide range (1.14–11.83 c.u./mg of protein) and did not depend on the tidal dynamics of the sea. In halophyte leaves, the regulation of plant redox metabolism under hypoxic conditions during flooding is supported by an increase in SOD activity, on average 1.98–2.95 at low tide and 4.12±6.73 c.u./mg of protein at high tide.

Urban soil mycobiota and its potential danger for human health in the Subarctic

Maria V. Korneykova — 2025-03-02

The quantitative and qualitative parameters of cultivable microfungi communities in urban soils of Subarctic (Apatity, Murmansk region, Russia) were evaluated. In total, 21 species belonging to 11 genera, 10 families, 7 orders, 5 classes, and 2 divisions were distinguished. We determined the proportion of allergenic, toxigenic, and opportunistic microfungi and their potential pathogenicity for humans based on extracellular enzyme activity. The number of microfungi in urban soils varied from 1×10³ to 9×10⁴ CFU g^-1 and was lower than in the forest soil (background) except in the recreational zone. In urban soils, there was a decrease in species diversity compared to forest soil and a significant change in species diversity, as evidenced by the low value of the Sørensen index (28%). Fungi that pose a threat to human health made up to 85% of the total number of isolated species. The most dangerous genus in urban soil was Aspergillus. An increase in their shares and frequency of occurrence in urban soils compared to the background was found as well. We noted the appearance of dangerous fungi belonging to the RG2 group, an increase in the number of toxigenic (by 15%) microfungi in urban soils. According to the mycological risk index (Im = 6.7-8.4), urban soils were classified as dangerous in Apatity. Microfungal strains with higher extracellular activity of proteinase and phospholipase enzymes than in the background soil were isolated from urban soils. These species also had the ability to grow at human body temperature. Regular monitoring of allergenic, opportunistic and toxigenic fungi in urban soils allows us to assess their potential impact on residents of Northern regions and recommend minimizing contact with the soil and hard road surfaces. This is especially important for preschool children, in order to reduce the likelihood of interaction with opportunistic fungi.

Multi-source method for analysing ice cover phenology of high-altitude (High Tatra Mts.) lakes

Kristína Hrivnáková — 2025-03-02

This paper presents a multi-source analysis for studying lake ice cover phenology in the high mountain environment. For the study, two lakes located in the High Tatra Mts. (southern side belonging to Slovakia), were selected. The combination of optical satellite imagery (Sentinel-2) and webcam images from meteorological stations (Avalanche Prevention Centre, MRS of the SR) with a direct view of these lakes was used. Such approach compensates for the technological limitations of separate methods and the limitations of this specific environment. It allowed for the first time to determine in detail the individual phenological phases of freezing, thawing/breaking and duration of lake ice cover on the Slovak side of this mountain range. The method might be generally applicable in high-altitude lakes which are difficult to access, small in size, and located in an area of high cloud cover, but represent a significant part of the high mountain cryosphere.

Leaf characteristics and morphophysiological features of selected vascular plants in goltsy deserts of the Khibiny Mountains (Kola Peninsula)

Olga V. Ermolaeva — 2025-03-02

The stability of biota in the extreme conditions of the goltsy deserts during ongoing climate change is determined by the adaptive characteristics of individual species. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of vascular plants (Salix polaris, Salix hastata, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Carex bigelowii, and Luzula arcuata) to the conditions of existence in the Khibiny goltsy deserts. The assessment was based on the morphological and anatomical leaf structures, pigment content and the intensity of photosynthesis. Biomorphological adaptations of high-altitude plants include miniaturization, plagiotropy, and compactization. The leaves of the studied plant species in the goltsy deserts exhibit features characteristic of mesophytes and xerophytes. For deciduous shrubs, a dorsoventral leaf structure with a high palisade coefficient was observed. For herbaceous perennials, a homogeneous type of mesophyll structure with a uniform distribution of chloroplasts and a thick cuticle was observed. The chlorophyll and carotenoid content ranges were comparable to those of the same species in the Khibiny mountain tundra belt and the Arctic tundra of Western Svalbard, indicating genetic determinism in the chlorophyll content of these species. The highest values of photosynthetic activity were found in graminoids (Carex bigelowii and Luzula arcuata) and Salix polaris. The characteristics of these species provide greater stability in the extreme conditions of the goltsy deserts and under climate change. Saxifraga oppositifolia exhibited the lowest values of photosynthetic activity.

Chemical analysis of Antarctic regolith and lunar regolith simulant as prospective substrates for experiments with plants

Pavel Coufalík — 2025-03-02

This study investigates the viability of Antarctic regolith and a lunar regolith simulant as prospective substrates for plant growth under extreme conditions. The study is focused on chemical composition of both substrates with a special respect to heavy metals. The Antarctic regolith samples were collected from James Ross Island, while lunar regolith simulant was developed in order to access the mobility and bioavailability of trace metals in these substrates, using a modified BCR (Community Bureau of Reference) sequential extraction procedure. Cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) are among the significant mobile fractions, indicating their possible effects on the germination and growth of plants. Additionally, preliminary results from the study of the regolith samples at the area of Berry Hill mesa are presented, as well as the chemical and mineralogical affinity of the Antarctic regolith and the produced lunar simulant to lunar regolith. The findings suggest that such Antarctic environment can be used in astrobiological studies and future lunar habitation efforts to sustainably cultivate plants and perform other biological experiments on these extraterrestrial surfaces. This is an important concept in light of active programs like Artemis and Gateway.

Testing the homogeneity of climate series of surface air temperature in Barentsburg (Svalbard)

Valery Demin — 2025-03-02

Observations on surface air temperature in the Barentsburg (Svalbard) are one of the longest on the Svalbard. They started in 1932 (with a break between 1941 and 1947). In this study, we checked the homogeneity of this series, because the measurement site of Barentsburg meteorological station was relocated twice (in 1978 and 1984). The station relocation might be a cause of inhomogeneities in temperature data sets. During the 2^nd measurement series (June 1978 – January 1984) microclimatic features were revealed, caused by the closer position of the measurement site to the fjord and its lower altitude than the former site had. However, the inhomogeneities on the boundaries of this period were not found by several statistical tests. Therefore, this series can be used in its original form without introducing any corrections to study the climate of Svalbard. The resulting composite series (1932-2023) contains the largest amount of direct instrumental observation data compared to similar series obtained at other weather stations of the archipelago.

Is a newly reported presence of Stictis radiata in Svalbard a result of global climate change, or is it due to the availability of a suitable substrate?

Liudmila A. Konoreva — 2025-03-02

The identification of materials collected in Svalbard led to the discovery of the species Stictis radiata (L.) Pers. This species is a facultatively lichenized fungus and an epiphyte whose main range lies outside the Arctic. We collected two specimens of this species in the Colesdalen, Svalbard. This place is one of ‘Arctic hotspot complexes’, as Arve Elvebakk called them, where the only place in the archipelago with growing Betula nana is located. Colesdalen also had suitable conditions of moisture and “sheltered” from the winds for the formation of sufficiently large woody remains of vegetation, which became a suitable substrate for Stictis radiata, whose main range is confined to the forest zone. The closest known locations of the species are in the Pechenga region of the Murmansk Region (Russia) and Scandinavia. This article discusses the ecological preferences and distributional features of the species.

The first phylogenetic and ecophysiological characterisation of Ankistrodesmus antarcticus CCAP 202/25, an Antarctic green alga isolated from freshwater ice

Linda Nedbalová — 2025-03-02

Glacier ice algae and snow algae are important primary producers in extreme cold environments and significantly impact global processes through their role in carbon cycling and glacier melting by reducing surface albedo. These organisms have evolved unique cold-adaptation mechanisms, making them promising candidates for biotechnological applications, yet few species are characterised in detail. Such studies are also becoming particularly urgent, as polar cryospheric habitats are rapidly changing because of the ongoing climate change. Here we describe the phylogenetic placement and ecophysiological characterisation of the strain Ankistrodesmus antarcticus CCAP 202/25 that was isolated from a sample of green-coloured icicle collected on Sabrina Island (Balleny Islands, Antarctica). Cells maintained the size and shape that were reported in the original description of the strain in 1968. Analysis of the 18S rDNA confirmed its placement in the Selenastraceae family and, more specifically, in the highly supported and ecologically diversified Monoraphidium V clade, suggesting that a revision of its taxonomic assignment to the genus Ankistrodesmus will be necessary. Comparison of secondary structures of ITS2 rDNA uncovered several closely related strains with diverse or unknown origin that should be regarded as conspecific with Ankistrodesmus antarcticus CCAP 202/25. Therefore, more data are necessary to get a detailed insight into the phylogenetic and ecological diversification within this group. The cultivation of the strain in crossed gradients of temperature and light reflected adaptation of the species to cold Antarctic habitats. Similarly to psychrophilic species, Ankistrodesmus antarcticus was able to grow at 1°C, but the highest growth rates were recorded in a wide range of temperature (6–25°C) making its ecophysiological classification difficult. The ability of the species to utilise very low intensity (and simultaneously wide range) of photosynthetically active radiation also indicates its adaptation to a polar cryospheric habitat, where light availability can often represent the limiting factor, but significant fluctuations of irradiance can be common, both short-term and long-term.

Antarctic regolith as prospective substrate for cultivation of plants in space analog habitat greenhouses: Seed germination and early growth study of broccoli in aqueous and acidic dilutions

Štěpán Krejčí — 2025-03-02

Food prouction for the needs of space mission crews has posed one of the leading concerns of recent space research. One of the arguably best terrestrial analogs of extraterrestrial habitats are the polar research stations, such as those found in Antarctica. Plants cultivation, offering a valulable source of fresh food, have been a prominent research topic not only for their significance for space analog experiments, but also for the needs of the scientists working at these stations. One of the approaches is the In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), which in this case can be adopted by cultivating crops directly in the local soil. Our study aims to evaluate early growth phase and photosynthetic performance of Brassica oleracea var. botrytis italica in Antarctic regolith collected at foothill of the Berry Hill mesa, James Ross Island, Antarctica. Fine grained regolith consisting primarily of hyaloclastic breccias was collected and transported to the laboratories in the Czech Republic. For germination and growth of the experimental plants, leachates were prepared from the regolith using deionized water and 0.11 M acetic acid. Individuals of B. oleracea were cultivated from seeds in a Murashige-Skoog (MS) liquid solution under controlled conditions (T = 21°C, PAR = 120 µmol m^-2 s^-1) either without addition of regolith leachates (control) or with addition of leachates done by using demineralized water and weak acetic acid. Growth rate, and photosynthetic activity of the experimental plants were measured by chlorophyll fluorescence in 1 day intervals for 21 days. We measured (1) F_V/F_M (potential yield of photochemical photosynthetic processes), and (2) Ф_PSII (effective quantum yield of photosystem II). It was showed that acidic leachate either fully inhibited germination or had a strong inhibitory effect on B. oleracea. Water leachates added to the MS medium had moderately strong inhibitory effects on F_V/F_M and Ф_PSII. The experimental plants showed decreased but still satisfactory growth rate. The results are promising for follow-up studies aimed to understand and expand the experimental plant growth in Antarctic regolith and its potential association with ISRU purposes.

Low temperature inhibition of photosystems I, and II in Antarctic lichens of different morphotypes

Aleksandra Andrzejowska — 2025-03-02

Chlorophyll fluorescence techniques represent an effective tool for photosynthetic performance of extremophilic poikilohydric autotrophs from cold Earth regions. Many parameteres of these techniques can detect the response of photosystem II (PS II) to a great variety of stressors. Chlorophyll fluorescence parametrs related to PS II funcioning are used quite often. For Antarctic lichens, that evolved several physiological mechanisms to cope with close to 0°C or even at sub-zero temperatures. The data gained from both field- and laboratory based studies helps predict ecophysiological consequeces of episodic drops in in situ temperature as well as resistence of Antarctic terrestial autotrophs to low temperature. However, the effect of low and sub-zero temperature on photosystem I (PS I) funcitioning is studied much less frequently than PS II. Therefore, the aim of our study was to evaluate PS II and PS I activities under low temperature and enlarge the knowledge on the low temperature effects on lichen photosynthesis. The focus of our laboratory experiments was to quantify the effect of a short-term treatment by 0°C on chlorophyll fluorescence parameters related to PS II and PS I functioning in two species of chlorolichens from Antarctica (Usnea antarctica, Himantormia lugubris). Our results suggest low temperature-induced decline in physiological processes in chloroplast (Performance index decrease) and activation of protective mechanisms (non-photochemical quenching increase).

Marine phytoplankton community structure of the waters of the Argentine Islands (2019-2021)

Andrii Zotov — 2025-03-07

The variability of phytoplankton community structure was analyzed in the waters of the Argentine Islands in late summer period of 2019, 2020 and 2021, as well as from February 2020 to February 2021. Biodiversity (121 taxa) and phytoplankton structure of the Argentine Islands waters corresponded to earlier studies. The late summer succession in 2019 and 2020 and 2021 was found typical for the waters of the Argentine Islands. Representatives of Bacillariophyceae completely dominated the studied community. Biomass variability was largely determined by large centric diatoms with low specific surface (S/W) values ranging from 70 to 300 m²·kg^-1. Higher values of phytoplankton development metrics and a more noticeable presence of haptophyte, cryptophyte and diatom groups with S/W values larger than 700 m²·kg^-1 differed 2019 from 2020 and 2021. Lower development metrics and simplified taxonomic structure of phytoplankton were recorded in 2020 – 2021. The decrease in the specific surface of the groups in the late summer periods of 2020 and 2021 was caused both by a decrease in the relative contributions of small-celled Coccolithophyceae and Cryptophyceae and by a general decrease in S/W of these taxa. Characteristic annual phytoplankton development patterns were revealed. The spring phytoplankton development was formed by high abundance of Fragilariopsis with a predominant contribution to the biomass of large centric diatoms. At the beginning of austral summer, the role of flagellates from the genera Cryptomonas (Cryptophyta) and Pyramimonas (Chlorophyta), as well as small flagellates, increased. The late austral summer period was characterized by the dominance of large centric diatoms with a significant presence of small flagellates and a periodic increase in the contribution of Fragilariopsis. The spring-summer succession had common features with the development of phytoplankton in the more northern regions of the Western Antarctic Peninsula (Palmer station), while the late summer phase – with the more southern Rothera station.