An international research team has identified the need to understand Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems.

Vast stretches of land strewn with rocks, moss carpets around small streams and ice in profusion. Yet, despite this descriptive environment, Antarctica’s biodiversity remains poorly understood by ecologists. So, where do we start? Published on February 7 in Science, a study sets the scene for new research in the field of ecology by identifying the “missing” places and disciplines in Antarctica.

“It doesn’t make sense to have several research teams working on the same subjects when you know the effort involved in deploying science in these regions,” explains Luis Pertierra, ecologist at Spain’s National Museum of Natural Sciences.

Where to start?

The study identifies geographical areas of the continent that have not been explored. And even though the areas surrounding scientific stations have been well studied, the authors have inventoried disciplines, such as genetics or taxonomy, that would improve our understanding of how ecosystems function.

“We analyzed data and worked with researchers from different taxonomic groups to review the main lines of research. These gaps in knowledge enabled us to identify the most studied groups and areas, those with the most knowledge and those with the least,” said Dr. Juliana Vianna, a biologist and member of the Instituto Milenio Base.

Vertebrates, such as penguins, are already well known, although the interactions between these animals are less so. More than 2,000 species have been described to date, but the potential for discovery is still very great, according to the study, especially among invertebrates and microorganisms.

“In the ice, it’s mainly algae and bacteria that can live in pockets of water, but in areas where the rock is exposed and the earth is bare, the potential for discovery is greater,” explains Luis Pertierra, pointing to grey areas on the map where no studies have yet been carried out.

Camille Lin, Polar Journal AG

Link to the study : Pertierra, L.R., Convey, P., Barbosa, A., Biersma, E.M., Cowan, D., Diniz-Filho, J.A.F., De Los Ríos, A., Escribano-Álvarez, P., Fraser, C.I., Fontaneto, D., Greve, M., Griffiths, H.J., Harris, M., Hughes, K.A., Lynch, H.J., Ladle, R.J., Liu, X.P., Le Roux, P.C., Majewska, R., Molina-Montenegro, M.A., Peck, L.S., Quesada, A., Ronquillo, C., Ropert-Coudert, Y., Sancho, L.G., Terauds, A., Varliero, G., Vianna, J.A., Wilmotte, A., Chown, S.L., Olalla-Tárraga, M.Á., Hortal, J., 2025. Advances and shortfalls in knowledge of Antarctic terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity. Science 387, 609-615. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adk2118.

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