Life on the Ice Dragon: Exploring the Unique Biota of Mt. Erebus, Antarctica ERI Seminar - Oct 2025

Abstract: Mt. Erebus is the southernmost active volcano in the world and harbours some of the world’s most remote geothermally active soils. Given its combination of isolation and unique geochemistry as a phonolitic volcano, Erebus is a prime study site for discovering novel microorganisms. We have used a combination of different genetic methods (amplicon sequencing, metagenomics, metatranscriptomics) to identify and predict the functionality of local microorganisms, many of which are highly taxonomically novel. However, our research on Erebus has also uncovered a number of thermophilic (high temperature loving) microorganisms that are identical to those found elsewhere globally. This raises the intriguing possibility that these microbes are present on Erebus due to long-distance atmospheric dispersal, which has long been thought to not exist among thermophilic microorganisms. Additionally, I will introduce my latest research project, which is focused on determining how the photosynthetic bacteria on Erebus survive the annual, months-long polar night. We plan to use a combination of laboratory-based winter simulations with Erebus Cyanobacteria isolates and field-based winter darkness simulations on Erebus to uncover potential novel survival mechanisms and determine community responses to winter darkness. Biography: Stephen Noell completed his PhD in marine microbiology at Oregon State University, USA, where he worked with Dr. Steve Giovannoni on the microbial physiology and metabolism of the highly abundant marine bacterium SAR11. He now works at the Thermophile Research Unit at the University of Waikato, studying the microbial diversity, ecology, and physiology of extremophilic microorganisms, with a focus on Antarctic geothermal sites.