USA bilateral cooperation in Arctic Biology: Effect of plant secondary metabolites on rumen microbial diversity in reindeer

This Norway-USA collaboration to develop a new project is supported by the applicants international strategies and priorities. Department of Arctic Biology (DAB), University of Tromsø has expertise, laboratory facilities and logistics for studies of diges tive physiology and microbial digestion in reindeer, using both cultivation and molecular methods. It is the only location in the world hosting a culture collection of rumen bacteria from reindeer and is therefore uniquely positioned to carry out the prop osed study. DAB and Institute of Arctic Biology (IAB), University of Fairbanks, Alaska (Dr. Barboza) are the only institutions worldwide with animal facilities dedicated to research on the physiology of arctic animals. Prof. Mackie at the University of Il linois, Department of Animal Sciences and Institute of Genomic Biology, USA is one of the world leaders in the field of Molecular Microbial Ecology as applied to gastrointestinal ecosystems, and we see it as important to establish a collaborations with hi m and his group for the further development and success in this field. The new planned project will be synergistic with IPY EALAT-Research: Reindeer Herding and Climate change from the Saami University College, Norway (Prof. Mathiesen). Reindeer productio n systems in the Arctic are variable, and unpredictable climates are based on the sequential utilization of a large number of ecological or climatic niches. The essence of such systems is flexibility and the distribution of risk through diversity. Underst anding of adaptation to change in reindeer like increased UVB radiation and detoxification of unsnic acid in lichens are hence important. Funding will contribute to the establishment of a new project application to the Norwegian Research Council 2007 incl uding a doctoral position to study the effect of plant secondary metabolites on rumen microbial diversity in reindeer, using molecular techniques based on sequence heterogeneity of the 16S rRNA genes.