2026-10-07T13:30:09Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/31551193 2026-09-20T05:42:56Z category_24358 category_26875 item_type_3 month_year_09_2026

Dataset for: Anthropogenic impacts on the microbial ecology of Antarctica Yi Luo (23617314) Xiaolong Wang (20235) Peter Convey (40344) Manuel Martinez Garcia (23617339) Cinzia Corinaldesi (154855) César Capinha (2592223) Stephen Pointing (23617342) Weirong Zhuang (23617345) Xiang Long (382089) Wei Wang (17594) Yan Wang (15435) Hanhui Zhang (605445) Hui Lin (161703) Chengjun Li (197085) Huan Zhong (12472918) Jianhua Guo (55282) Microbial ecology Human impacts of climate change and human adaptation Antarctica Metagenomics Anthropogenic impacts Microbial ecology Antarctic microbial communities now face increasing destabilization from intensifying anthropogenic activities. In this Review, we assess how anthropogenic pressure has critical consequences on microbial community and ecosystem in Antarctica. We demonstrate that human activity in this region has surged 3.6-fold over the past 15 years, driving a sustained influx of non-native microbes. Currently, non-native bacteria were detected at 65.6% of collected datasets, while non-native fungi were detected at 55.7%. Synthesizing these findings, we identify a present-day spatial impact boundary of approximately 4.8 km from the human activity sites. Beyond this distance, non-native microbes no longer exert a detectable influence on indigenous microbial communities. Based on the spatial impact boundary of approximately 4.8 km, an estimated 60 Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs) are projected to be affected by non-native microbes. This empirically derived threshold provides a basis for managing human activities to protect Antarctic ecosystems, particularly in the delineation and management of ASPAs. Alarmingly, as global warming accelerates glacial retreat and expands ice-free terrain, the non-native microbial taxa is projected to dispersal to 279.1 km² newly exposed ice-free land, posing an escalating threat to Antarctica’s fragile ecosystems. These insights are essential for translating fragmented evidence into actionable policies to safeguard Antarctica’s pristine environment under mounting anthropogenic pressure and ensure its sustainable future. 2026-03-26T02:38:06Z Dataset Dataset 10.6084/m9.figshare.31551193.v6 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/_b_Dataset_for_b_b_Anthropogenic_impacts_on_the_microbial_ecology_of_Antarctica_b_/31551193 CC BY 4.0