GLACIER MELTS, MICROBIAL DYNAMICS AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ON THE CRYOSPHERE

Abstract

The cryosphere ecosystem like glaciers, ice bergs, ice sheets, permafrost etc are undergoing swift change due to climate change. Glaciers that once known to be lifeless and dormant now considered diverse ecosystem that have variety of microbial communities and performing different activities like their role in biogeochemical cycles. The aim of this review is to provide insight in to the different factors like drivers of glacier melts including albedo reduction, increasing global temperature and black carbon deposition and analyze that how these changes influences the microbiota their functions, distribution and diversity. The metabolic activities of microorganisms affecting glacial melting. This review also emphasizes the current gaps to understand the microbial environmental interaction, spatial variability in glacial system.