Researchers studied how microbes move into brand-new habitats after eruptions at the Fagradalsfjall volcano in southwestern Iceland. The volcano erupted three times between 2021 and 2023 and covered tundra and older lava with fresh flows.
The team at the University of Arizona sampled freshly cooled lava within hours of solidifying. They also collected rainwater, aerosols, soil and nearby rock. The researchers extracted DNA from the samples and used statistical and machine learning tools to identify the organisms and their likely sources.
Microbial diversity rose during the first year but then fell after the first winter. Early colonizers mostly came from soil and aerosols, while after the winter many microbes arrived with rainwater, which is not sterile.
Difficult words
- microbe — Very small living organism seen with a microscopemicrobes
- habitat — Place where animals or organisms livehabitats
- aerosol — Tiny particles or droplets in the airaerosols
- diversity — Variation or many different kinds present
- colonizer — Organism that arrives first and starts lifecolonizers
- extract — Take out material for study or testextracted
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Which of the sources (soil, aerosols, rainwater) would you expect near your home? Why?
- Would you be interested to study microbes after a volcanic eruption? Why or why not?
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