A "cryptic" microbial mat: a new model ecosystem for extant life on Mars.
Adv Space Res
; 15(3): 223-8, 1995 Mar.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-11539229
If life were present on Mars to day, it would face potentially lethal environmental conditions such as a lack of water, frigid temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, and soil oxidants. In addition, the Viking missions did not detect near-surface organic carbon available for assimilation. Autotrophic organisms that lived under a protective layer of sand or gravel would be able to circumvent the ultraviolet radiation and lack of fixed carbon. Two terrestrial photosynthetic near-surface microbial communities have been identified, one in the inter- and supertidal of Laguna Ojo de Liebre (Baja California Sur, Mexico) and one in the acidic gravel near several small geysers in Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, U.S.A.). Both communities have been studied with respect to their ability to fix carbon under different conditions, including elevated levels of inorganic carbon. Although these sand communities have not been exposed to the entire suite of Martian environmental conditions simultaneously, such communities can provide a useful model ecosystem for a potential extant Martian biota.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Ecossistema
/
Marte
/
Microbiologia Ambiental
Limite:
Animals
País/Região como assunto:
Mexico
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Adv Space Res
Assunto da revista:
MEDICINA AEROESPACIAL
Ano de publicação:
1995
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos
País de publicação:
Reino Unido