Wednesday, October 8, 2025
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
Environmental Magazine
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water
No Result
View All Result
Environmental Magazine
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water
No Result
View All Result
Environmental Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Home Air

Study unveils a unique microbiome in glacier meltwater streams

March 17, 2025
in Air
A A

A new study sheds light on the diversity of microbial life in glacier meltwater. The streams draining the glaciers on our planet’s mountaintops harbor a wealth of unique microorganisms, yet little was known about these complex ecosystems until recently.

A team of scientists, led by the Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne (EPFL) and including members of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), has carried out the study, which takes an in-depth look at the microbiome of these glacier-fed streams. The scientists, with the help of mountain guides and porters, spent more than five years collecting and analyzing samples from 170 glacier-fed streams in New Zealand, the Himalayas, the Russian Caucasus, the Tien Shan and Pamir Mountains, the European Alps, Scandinavia, Greenland, Alaska, the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda, and both the Ecuadorian and Chilean Andes. Their findings provide the first global reference of the microbiome in these streams.

It has been published in the journal Nature.

A microbial atlas
Glacier-fed streams are the most extreme freshwater ecosystems in the world. The streams, which are mostly found on mountain tops, are generalized by their near-zero temperatures and low nutrient concentrations. They are also the original source for many of our largest rivers and are vital freshwater sources for the world. For this reason, their change, which is reflected by changes in their ecosystem and biodiversity, can have profound impact on water supplies.

One way to measure this change is by looking at their microbiomes.

“Glacier-fed streams are severely susceptible to climate change. To understand the rate of change of the ecosystem they host, we need a baseline of their microbiomes” said Ramona Marasco, a research scientist from KAUST who contributed to the study.

“The large sequencing effort put in place at KAUST contributed to draw a robust picture of these threatened microbiomes,” said KAUST Professor Daniele Daffonchio, another contributor to the study.

From the analysis, the researchers put together what’s described as the first global atlas of microbes in glacier-fed streams. What seems to have been revealed is that these streams possess a unique microbiome — one that clearly differs from other cryospheric systems, such as icebergs, permafrost and frozen lakes.

Interestingly, they found that almost half of the bacteria are endemic to a given mountain range. This observation was particularly true in New Zealand and Ecuador — regions already known for their high variety of endemic plants and animals. The scientists attribute this property to the geographic isolation of mountains, similar to that of islands, and to the natural selection that is particularly strong in extreme environments like glacier-fed streams.

The United Nations has designated 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. Preserving our glaciers also means protecting glacier-fed streams and their microbiome, an urgent task given how quickly ice is melting but also a feasible one. “Having spent the past few years traveling across the Earth’s mountaintops, I can say we’re clearly losing a unique microbiome as glaciers shrink,” said EPFL Professor Tom Battin, who led the study.

ShareTweetSharePinSendShare

Related Articles

Air

First UK-accredited carbon accountants training courses set to launch

October 8, 2025
Air

Emissions from Scotland’s largest industrial facilities down nearly a quarter since 2019

September 30, 2025
Air

Hybrid biocarbon solution picks up green award

September 23, 2025
Air

Beyond the filter: what’s happening in industrial air pollution management?

September 11, 2025
Air

Londoners’ air pollution drops by a quarter at weekends, say new data

September 10, 2025
Air

Next-generation carbon capture technology goes live at Ferrybridge EfW

September 8, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Virginia Seeks Millions of Dollars in Federal Funds Aimed at Reducing Pollution and Electrifying Transportation and Buildings

April 1, 2024

Five Years After Pennsylvania’s Landmark Fracking Report, Its Public Health Goals Remain Largely Unmet, Groups Say

June 26, 2025

Don't miss it

News

Solar energy is now the world’s cheapest source of power, says new study

October 8, 2025
Activism

Arizona Rural Grassroots Organizers Take on Industrial Developers, Aided by Urban Allies

October 8, 2025
Energy

Global Renewable Power Capacity Expected to More than Double by 2030

October 7, 2025
Water

Yorkshire Water models sewer data availability

October 7, 2025
Fossil Fuels

EPA Drops Planned Delay in Compliance With Fenceline Monitoring at Coke Plants

October 7, 2025
Fossil Fuels

Scientists Find Evidence that a Pennsylvania Town’s Water Was Contaminated by Fracking

October 7, 2025
Environmental Magazine

Environmental Magazine, Latest News, Opinions, Analysis Environmental Magazine. Follow us for more news about Enviroment and climate change from all around the world.

Learn more

Sections

  • Activism
  • Air
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Fossil Fuels
  • News
  • Uncategorized
  • Water

Topics

Activism Air Climate Change Energy Fossil Fuels News Uncategorized Water

Recent News

First UK-accredited carbon accountants training courses set to launch

October 8, 2025

Solar energy is now the world’s cheapest source of power, says new study

October 8, 2025

© 2023 Environmental Magazine. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water

© 2023 Environmental Magazine. All rights reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.