Antarctic Sea Ice--a Habitat for Extremophiles
The pack ice of Earth's polar oceans appears to be frozen white desert, devoid of life. However, beneath the snow lies a unique habitat for a group of bacteria and microscopic plants and animals that are encased in an ice matrix at low temperatures and light levels, with the only liquid being p...
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American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
2002
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1063391 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.1063391 |
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craaas:10.1126/science.1063391 2024-06-23T07:46:48+00:00 Antarctic Sea Ice--a Habitat for Extremophiles Thomas, D. N. Dieckmann, G. S. 2002 http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1063391 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.1063391 en eng American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science volume 295, issue 5555, page 641-644 ISSN 0036-8075 1095-9203 journal-article 2002 craaas https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1063391 2024-06-13T04:01:38Z The pack ice of Earth's polar oceans appears to be frozen white desert, devoid of life. However, beneath the snow lies a unique habitat for a group of bacteria and microscopic plants and animals that are encased in an ice matrix at low temperatures and light levels, with the only liquid being pockets of concentrated brines. Survival in these conditions requires a complex suite of physiological and metabolic adaptations, but sea-ice organisms thrive in the ice, and their prolific growth ensures they play a fundamental role in polar ecosystems. Apart from their ecological importance, the bacterial and algae species found in sea ice have become the focus for novel biotechnology, as well as being considered proxies for possible life forms on ice-covered extraterrestrial bodies. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Sea ice AAAS Resource Center (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Antarctic Science 295 5555 641 644 |
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Open Polar |
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AAAS Resource Center (American Association for the Advancement of Science) |
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language |
English |
description |
The pack ice of Earth's polar oceans appears to be frozen white desert, devoid of life. However, beneath the snow lies a unique habitat for a group of bacteria and microscopic plants and animals that are encased in an ice matrix at low temperatures and light levels, with the only liquid being pockets of concentrated brines. Survival in these conditions requires a complex suite of physiological and metabolic adaptations, but sea-ice organisms thrive in the ice, and their prolific growth ensures they play a fundamental role in polar ecosystems. Apart from their ecological importance, the bacterial and algae species found in sea ice have become the focus for novel biotechnology, as well as being considered proxies for possible life forms on ice-covered extraterrestrial bodies. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Thomas, D. N. Dieckmann, G. S. |
spellingShingle |
Thomas, D. N. Dieckmann, G. S. Antarctic Sea Ice--a Habitat for Extremophiles |
author_facet |
Thomas, D. N. Dieckmann, G. S. |
author_sort |
Thomas, D. N. |
title |
Antarctic Sea Ice--a Habitat for Extremophiles |
title_short |
Antarctic Sea Ice--a Habitat for Extremophiles |
title_full |
Antarctic Sea Ice--a Habitat for Extremophiles |
title_fullStr |
Antarctic Sea Ice--a Habitat for Extremophiles |
title_full_unstemmed |
Antarctic Sea Ice--a Habitat for Extremophiles |
title_sort |
antarctic sea ice--a habitat for extremophiles |
publisher |
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) |
publishDate |
2002 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1063391 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.1063391 |
geographic |
Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Sea ice |
op_source |
Science volume 295, issue 5555, page 641-644 ISSN 0036-8075 1095-9203 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1063391 |
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Science |
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295 |
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5555 |
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641 |
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644 |
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1802648369453072384 |