Microbial Dynamics in Extreme Environments

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Topic invites research that explores microbial interactions, community structure, and adaptations in extreme environments, both natural and artificial. Although the inhabitants of extreme environments have been extensively studied, the community dynamics in such environments remain poorly understood. Therefore, we welcome studies addressing microbe-microbe interactions and metabolic networks, spanning genomics, metagenomics, metabolomics, and experimental ecology. The research may include microbe-non-microbe interactions (including other organisms and abiotic factors). We accept manuscripts on all types of extreme environments, such as solfataras, hydrothermal vents, salt lakes, and engineered systems (e.g., bioleaching, salterns). Understanding microbial dynamics in extreme environments will generate new knowledge that contributes to biotechnology, astrobiology, and related scientific fields.

Dr. Carmen Falagán
Dr. John Moreau
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Applied Microbiology applmicrobiol	-	2.8	2021	16.2 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Life life	3.4	6.0	2011	16.6 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Microbiology Research microbiolres	2.2	2.8	2010	20.2 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Molecules molecules	4.6	8.6	1996	15.1 Days	CHF 2700	Submit

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All Applied Microbiology Life Microbiology Research Molecules

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Open AccessArticle

Interannual Bacterial Diversity Variability in Antarctic Snow/Ice Samples in the Vicinity of Concordia Station

by Gerardo A. Stoppiello, Ricardo Belmonte-Lopes, Caterina Ripa, Daniela Billi and Laura Selbmann

Life 2026, 16(4), 596; https://doi.org/10.3390/life16040596 - 3 Apr 2026

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Abstract

In this study, we compared the bacterial diversity of two independent snow and ice sampling campaigns conducted in 2015–2016 and 2018–2019 at Dome C, Concordia Station, Antarctica. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we analysed 81 samples and, after quality filtering and rarefaction, [...] Read more.

In this study, we compared the bacterial diversity of two independent snow and ice sampling campaigns conducted in 2015–2016 and 2018–2019 at Dome C, Concordia Station, Antarctica. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we analysed 81 samples and, after quality filtering and rarefaction, obtained approximately 3.8 million high-quality reads. Alpha diversity analyses revealed comparable richness between the two sampling periods, while community evenness was higher in 2018–2019. In contrast, all beta diversity metrics consistently showed significant differences in community composition between years, while beta dispersion analyses indicated distinct levels of heterogeneity within the year. The results of the Raup-Crick null model (R0) analyses showed that the observed differences did not deviate from random expectations under the applied null hypothesis. Overall, these results indicate pronounced interannual variability in bacterial assemblages at Concordia Station and suggest that temporal changes in community composition are consistent with assembly processes dominated by episodic inputs and limited persistence under extreme environmental conditions. This study implements previous investigations by providing a comparative temporal perspective and contributes to a better understanding of microbial dynamics in one of the most isolated and low-biomass environments on Earth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Microbial Dynamics in Extreme Environments)

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