Assessment of anthropogenic invasion of microfungi in Arctic ecosystems (exemplified by Spitsbergen archipelago)

Introduction. The aim of this work was to study the mycobiota of anthropogenic materials, soil and air in the settlement Barentsburg (Spitsbergen archipelago), to assess the spread of invasive species and to identify potentially pathogenic microfungi.

Material and methods. The material for the study was collected in the period of research work of the Russian expedition of the AARI (2017-2018) in the area of the settlement Barentsburg (located at 78° N, 14° E). Isolation and identification of microfungi were carried out using standard microbiological methods according to cultural and morphological characteristics and sequencing in the ITS1 and ITS2 regions.

Results. As a result of the research, a high level of microbiological colonization of anthropogenic substrates has been established, the places of accumulation of potentially pathogenic microorganisms were found out. 24 species of microfungi were identified from anthropogenic materials, 46 and 43 species from aeromycota and the soils of the observed territory. The genus Penicillium (12 species) prevailed by the number of species, followed by Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Cadophora (3 species each). For disturbed ecosystems the following peculiarities have been established: 1) a change in the structure of microfungi complexes and increase in the CFU number of microfungi at aeromycota and soil, 2) aeromycota formation occurs partly due to introduced species, 3) a clear dominance of dark-colored fungi on anthropogenic materials, 4) among the introduced microfungi a significant proportion were destructors of the materials as well as potentially human pathogens; 5) introduced species are able to adapt to arctic conditions.

Conclusion. On the example of the village of Barentsburg (arch. Svalbard) it is shown that anthropogenic impact leads to changes in the main characteristics of microscopic fungi complexes in the Arctic territories.