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The moss-inhabiting diatom flora has been surveyed for the first time on the Galindez Island, Argentine Islands, the maritime Antarctica. Altogether, 23 diatom taxa belonging to 9 genera were identified. Diatom taxa distribution exhibited considerable variability across the samples and lower species richness compared to the communities surveyed in other Antarctic regions studied earlier - South Shetland Islands and James Ross Island. A pronounced single-species dominance was revealed by the analysis of moss-inhabiting diatom communities’ structure at the majority of moss substrates. The allocation of certain diatom species to the particular moss substrates was detected alongside their complete absence in some samples. The reasons for such moss-inhabiting diatom communities’ variability should be further investigated in follow-up studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the fungal community associated with fruits and vegetables transported into the Antarctic region and observe qualitative changes of their surface mycobiota after UV-C treatment. This measure is used to prevent the post-harvest diseases of stored fruits and vegetables and reduce the risk of introducing non-native species to the Antarctic environment. In total, 82 strains of filamentous fungi were isolated from the surfaces of 64 pieces of fresh fruits and vegetables before and after their UV-C treatment. They were assigned to the genera Penicillium, Fusarium, Mucor, Cladosporium, and Acremonium. After the UV-C treatment of the examined fruits and vegetables, spores of the genera Fusarium, Cladosporium and Acremonium were not detected, while spores of the genera Penicillium and Mucor were more resistant and stayed viable after the treatment. Penicillium strains prevailed in the examined samples. Their introduction to the Antarctic environment could represent a potential risk for endemic autochthonous organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]