Research by the MASH Millennium Nucleus shows how marine microbiomes are key to adaptation to extreme environments and to assess the health of coastal ecosystems.
Although invisible to the naked eye, the microorganisms that inhabit the ocean perform fundamental functions for the balance of marine ecosystems. Bacteria and other microbes form groups of communities known as microbiomescapable of regulating such diverse processes as nutrient recycling, adaptation to environmental change and the stability of coastal and benthic habitats.
Two research studies recently published in international scientific journals highlight the importance of these microbiomes in very different, but equally challenging contexts: the Antarctic and Chilean Patagonia. In both studies, researchers linked to Marine Algae Agronomy Millennium Research Core (MASH), providing an integrated perspective on the ecological role of marine microorganisms.
The first study, led by researcher MASH Dr Nicole Trefault (Centro GEMA - Universidad Mayor) analyzed the microbiomes associated with Antarctic marine sponges, primitive animals that live in one of the most extreme environments on the planet. The results show that these microbial communities have specialized functions that allow adaptation to extreme cold, such as cold shock proteins, antioxidant systems and cellular protection mechanisms. A key finding is that many of these capabilities would have been acquired through horizontal gene transfer, an evolutionary process that allows microorganisms to exchange genetic information and adapt quickly to adverse conditions.
On the other hand, a second study carried out on the coast of southern Chile studied the microbiome of marine sediments in areas subjected to intense aquaculture activity. In this work, the principal researcher of MASH participated, Dr Alejandro Buschmann and the Dr. July Z. Florez, both from the i~mar Center of the University of Los Lagos, together with an interdisciplinary team. The study revealed that anthropogenic pressure not only modifies the composition of microbial communities, but also the way in which they interact with each other.
Together, both studies highlight that the microbiome is not a passive component of the ecosystem, but a central actor in marine resilience, capable of responding to both extreme natural changes and sustained human impacts. In addition, they position microbial communities as early bioindicators of the health status of ecosystems, a key tool for conservation and decision-making in coastal areas.
According to the director of the Millennium Core MASH, Carolina Camus, these advances “strengthen the importance of integrating the microbial dimension into the study and management of marine systems, broadening the understanding of how the ocean functions as an interconnected whole, from the large macroalgae forests to the microorganisms that accompany them.”
