Cover -- Copyright -- Contents -- Contributors -- Preface -- I Microbial Diversity in Polar Environments -- 1. Bacterial Diversity in Polar Habitats -- Introduction -- Antarctica -- The Arctic -- Microbial Mats -- Sea Ice Microbial Communities -- Effects of Climate Change on Polar Regions -- Conclusions and Future Work -- References -- 2. Archaea -- Introduction and Overview -- Antarctic Environments -- Arctic Environments -- Polar Comparisons of Archaeal Diversity -- Highlights of Recent Findings -- Archaea in Polar Environments and Climate Change -- Future Work Needed -- Summary -- References -- 3. Bacteriophages at The Poles -- Life Choices -- Nutrient Availability -- Phages at The Poles -- Conclusions -- References -- 4. Fungi in Polar Environments -- Introduction -- Fungi in Various Extremely Cold Environments -- Indigenous Groups of Fungi in Polar Environments -- Conclusions -- References -- II Adaptations and Physiology of Cold-Adapted Microorganisms in Polar Environments -- 5. General Characteristics of Cold-Adapted Microorganisms -- Introduction -- Kinetic and Biochemical Challenges at Low Temperature -- Fluidity at Cold Temperatures -- Macromolecular Stability at Low Temperature -- Water Activity and Freezing -- Subeutectic Metabolism: Residual Reactions or Survival Strategy? -- Conclusion -- References -- 6. Genomic and Expression Analyses of Cold-Adapted Microorganisms -- Introduction -- Ecological Evidence of Bacterial Adaptation to Cold -- Gene Expression Responses to The Cold -- Protein Adaptations to Cold -- Comparison of Cold-And Warm-Adapted Exiguobacterium Strains -- Summary and Future Directions -- References -- 7. Metagenomic Analysis of Polar Ecosystems -- Introduction -- Marine Ecosystems -- Terrestrial Ecosystems -- Conclusions -- References -- 8. Polar Microorganisms and Biotechnology -- Introduction.

Advantages of Polar Microorganisms in Biotechnology -- Bioprospecting The Polar Genetic Resources -- Polar Bacteria as Cell Factories -- Cold-Active Enzymes in Biotechnology -- Industrial Enzymes From Polar Microorganisms -- Polar Proteins in Molecular Biology and Cosmetics -- Hydrocarbon Bioremediation in Polar Environments -- Wastewater Treatment in Cold Environments -- Polar Plants and Animals in Biotechnology -- Conclusions -- References -- III Ecology and Biochemical Cycling of Polar Microbiology Communities -- 9. Microbial Carbon Cycling in Permafrost -- Introduction -- Carbon Turnover in Arctic Terrestrial Ecosystems -- Methane-Cycling MIcrobial Communities -- References -- 10. Polar Marine Microbiology -- Introduction -- Polar Microbiology -- Microbial Food Webs and Nutrient Cycling -- Conclusions -- References -- 11. Cryospheric Environments in Polar Regions (Glaciers and Ice Sheets, Sea Ice, and Ice Shelves) -- Introduction -- Microbiology of Glaciers and Ice Sheets -- Microbiology of Sea Ice Communities of Polar Regions -- Microbiology of Ice-Shelf Communities -- Conclusions -- References -- IV Challenges to Living in Polar and Subpolar Environments -- 12. Low-Temperature Limits of Microbial Growth and Metabolism -- Introduction -- Microbial Sizes in Glacial Ice -- Three Answers to the Question of Habitats for microbial Survival and Metabolism in Ice -- Adaptation of Nonpsychrophiles to Life at Low Temperature -- Metabolic Rates of Microbes for Growth, Maintenance, and Survival in Ice -- Evidence that The Main Role of Survival Metabolism is to Repair Macromolecular Damage -- limits to Growth and Survival of Microbes in Ice -- Wind Transport and Deposition of Microbes and Dust Into Ice -- Concentrations of CHL and TRP as A Function of Depth in Ice Cores -- Submicrometer-Size Cyanobacteria From Ocean to Ice.

Live/Dormant Tests on Individual Cells -- A New Tool for The Study of Microbial Evolution -- References -- 13. Climate Change, Ozone Depletion, and Life at The Poles -- Introduction -- Factors Affecting Life in Polar (Cryospheric) Environments -- Metabolic Transitions -- Climate Change-Integrating Reciprocal Influences of Biotic and Abiotic Factors on Climate and Habitat Change -- References -- 14. Life in Ice on Other Worlds -- Introduction -- Mars -- Europa -- Enceladus -- Other Icy Worlds -- Conclusion -- References -- Index -- Color Plates.