Distribution and abundance of soil fungi in Antarctica at sites on the Peninsula, Ross Sea Region and McMurdo Dry Valleys

Fungal abundance and diversity were studied from 245 soil samples collected in 18 distinct ice-free locations in Antarctica including areas in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Ross Sea Region, and the Antarctic Peninsula. Cultivable fungal abundance in soil was found to be most positively correlated with percent carbon and nitrogen based on a Spearman’s rank correlation test of six soil parameters. Soil moisture and C/N ratio were also positively correlated with fungal abundance while pH and conductivity were negatively correlated. These results suggest that nutrient limitations in these highly oligotrophic environments are a primary factor in determining the distribution and abundance of indigenous fungi. Other effects of the extreme Antarctic environment likely affect fungi indirectly by limiting the distribution and abundance of plant-derived sources of carbon.