Punjab University scientists discover new plant species in Antarctica

The story: Indian polar biologists from the Central University of Punjab have discovered a new species of plant in Antarctica. During a 2016-2017 expe

Punjab University scientists discover new plant species in Antarctica

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• The story: Indian polar biologists from the Central University of Punjab have discovered a new species of plant in Antarctica. During a 2016-2017 expedition in the continent, the scientists stumbled upon a species of moss near the Indian research centre and collected the samples. Five years later, the scientists were finally able to confirm it to be the new native plant species of Antarctica.
• Name: The scientists have named the species 'Bryum Bharatiensis' as a tribute to goddess Saraswati, who is also known as 'Bharati'. The discovery was made by Dr Felix Bast, Polar and Marine Biologist at Central Punjab University. He also heads the Botany department there. In 2017, Dr Bast, who was there as an expedition scientist, found green plants on rocks near Bharati station at Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica.

1. Bast took the samples and sent it to the laboratory. Later, Bast's PhD student, Wahid Ul Rahman and Kriti Gupta, head of the Botany department at DAV College, Bathinda, studied the moss to determine its taxonomy. They were also part of the expedition team.
2. The team wrote a paper about the discovery. The Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity accepted the paper for publication.

• Technical detail: This moss mainly grew in areas where penguins bred in large numbers, the scientists found. Penguin poop has nitrogen and plants need nitrogen along with potassium, phosphorus, sunlight and water to survive.  The discovery is significant for the Indian Antarctic Mission as it is the first and only plant species that the mission discovered since 1981.
• Knowledge centre: Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic are home to a variety of plants and microbes. These include lichens, mosses and liverworts, algae, kelp and microscopic organisms. There are only two vascular plants that grow in Antarctica and these are found only on the coastal region of the Antarctic Peninsula, where temperatures are milder and there is more precipitation. They are Antarctic hair grass (Deschampsia antarctica) and Antarctic pearlwort (Colobanthus quitensis). Like all plants, mosses need water to survive. Rain is observed near the coast, but most precipitation over Antarctica is in the form of snow or ice crystals. Antarctica's nonstop winters make it impossible to grow food outdoors. Fruits and vegetables are instead shipped long distances from overseas, just a few times per year.

 

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