Svalbard’s ecosystems are highly vulnerable to climate change and pollution, yet the Arctic still lacks comprehensive monitoring of its microbial life. This represents a significant knowledge gap, as microorganisms drive essential biogeochemical processes and respond rapidly to environmental change — making them powerful early‑warning indicators. At the same time, the rise of antibiotic‑resistance genes poses new risks to both ecosystems and human health.
Lise Øvreås is a professor of geomicrobiology at the University of Bergen and an adjunct professor at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS). She is part of the study of bacteria in Adventfjorden together with researchers Manish Prakash Victor and Nachiket Marathe from the Institute of Marine Research.
“Our study suggests that the Arctic microbial community could become a source for the emergence of ‘superbugs’,” says Manish Prakash Victor.