Mountains are pivotal to maintaining habitat heterogeneity, global biodiversity, ecosystem
functions and services to humans. They have provided classic model natural systems for …

Streams and rivers form dense networks, shape the Earth's surface and, in their sediments,
provide an immensely large surface area for microbial growth. Biofilms dominate microbial …

Glaciers cover∼ 10% of the Earth's land surface, but they are shrinking rapidly across most
parts of the world, leading to cascading impacts on downstream systems. Glaciers impart …

Glaciers cover about 10% of the Earth's land area but they are retreating rapidly and many
will disappear within decades. Glacier retreat is a worldwide phenomenon increasing the …

Glacier-fed aquatic ecosystems provide habitats for diverse and active bacterial
communities. However, the environmental vulnerabilities of co-existing water and sediment …

Cryoconite is granular sediment found on glacier surfaces comprising both mineral and
biological material. Despite long having been recognised as an important glaciological and …

Multi-species, surface-attached biofilms often dominate microbial life in streams and rivers,
where they contribute substantially to biogeochemical processes. The microbial diversity of …

Glacier ecosystems are teeming with life on, beneath, and to a lesser degree, within their icy
masses. This conclusion largely stems from polar research, with less attention paid to …

Mountains are global biodiversity hotspots where cold environments and their associated
ecological communities are threatened by climate warming. Considerable research attention …

In alpine regions worldwide, climate change is dramatically altering ecosystems and
affecting biodiversity in many ways. For streams, receding alpine glaciers and snowfields …