BioProject

Samples were collected during the growing season in the Austral summer (February) of 2019. Rhizospheric soil and bulk soil samples were collected from five sampling sites (Devils point, North beach, Nikopol point, Rotch dome ritli hill, and Rotch dome amadok point) at Byers Peninsula, Livingstone Island, Antarctica. Rhizospheric soils of Deschampsia antarctica (Da samples), Colobanthus quitensis (Cq samples), and Cq growing associated with Da (Da.Cq samples) were sampled at sea level. Each sampling site harbors several sampling points corresponding to points on the ground from where bulk soil and at least one plant were obtained (7 cm of depth) using a sterilized shovel. The bulk soil was taken from the ground free of plants, mosses, lichens or organic matter in the vicinity of each plant or group of them in a radius no greater than 1.5 meters. The soil attached to the plants was divided into two fractions (compartments). The first compartment, called Rhizosphere Surrounding Soil (RSS), was composed of soil released by hand-shaking the roots. The second compartment, Rhizosphere, corresponds to soil firmly adhered to the roots, which did not come loose after the plants were shaken. For each sample and compartment, fine soil particles ( <= 2 mm) were carefully separated from pebbles and roots using a sterile 2 mm metal mesh and stored in 50 mL sterile conical tubes at -20 C until DNA extraction. All plant and soil samples were collected under the permission of the Chilean Antarctic Institute during ECA56.