Functional and Taxonomic Microbial Signatures in Diesel-Contaminated Antarctic Soils

Diesel contamination in Antarctic soils poses a significant threat to the continent's unique and fragile ecosystems. This study investigates the functional and taxonomic composition of microbial communities in diesel-contaminated soils near the General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme Station. Using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding and PICRUSt2 for functional prediction, we aimed to identify microbial diversity changes and specific microbial taxa with potential roles in hydrocarbon degradation. ur findings highlight the critical role of microbial taxa in responding to and potentially mitigating the effects of diesel contamination in Antarctic soils. Future research should focus on optimizing microbial consortia for effective bioremediation in such extreme environments