TABLE 3.

Identification and grouping of sequences. The table lists the major higher taxonomic groupings (phylum or division) into which sequences obtained were separated, the number (N) of separate operational taxonomic units (OTUs) obtained in each group from each study site, and the overall percentage contribution made by each kingdom or sub-kingdom to the biota of each study site.

Kingdom or subkingdom	Phylum or divisiona	Signy Island		Rothera Point		Mars Oasis		Coal Nunatak		Sky Hi Nunatak		LaGorce Mountains
		Nb	%c	N	%	N	%	N	%	N	%	N	%
Metazoa	Nematodes	8	33	0		1	3	1	2	0	10	0
	Arthropods	2		0		0		0		0		0
	Tardigrades	1		0		0		0		2		0
Fungi	Ascomycetes	3	27	6	38	2	13	4	31	6	38	1	20
	Basidiomycetes	0		2		0		1		0		1
	Zygosporic	6		0		2		10		2		0
Stramenopila	Bacillariophyta	4	12	2	9	6	34	1	19	0	10	0
	Xanthophyta	0		0		4		8		2		0
	Chrysophyta	0		0		1		0		0		0
Chlorophyta	Chlorophyceae	1	6	1	19	2	34	2	21	0	14	2	40
	Trebouxiaceae	1		2		7		6		3		2
	Ulvophyceae	0		1		2		2		0		0
Streptophyta	Bryophytes	0		1	5	0		1	2	0		0
Alveolata	Ciliophorans	3	9	1	5	2	6	2	4	3	14	2	20
Uncertain rank	Euglenazoa	1	3	1	5	0		0		0		0
	Cercozoa	2	6	3	14	2	6	7	15	3	14	1	10
	Plasmodiophora	1	3	1	5	0		1	2	0		1	10
Others		0		0		1	3	2	4	0		0
Total from site		33		21		32		48		21		10

^aMajor taxonomic grouping into which sequences obtained were separated.

^bNumber of separate OTUs.

^cOverall percent contribution made by kingdom or subkingdom to the biota.