Geomicrobiological Heterogeneity of Lithic Habitats in the Extreme Environment of Antarctic Nunataks: A Potential Early Mars Analog

• Published in: Frontiers in Microbiology
• Main Authors: Fernández-Martínez, Miguel Ángel, García-Villadangos, Miriam, Moreno-Paz, Mercedes, Gangloff, Valentin, Carrizo, Daniel, Blanco, Yolanda, González, Sergi, Sánchez-García, Laura, Prieto-Ballesteros, Olga, Altshuler, Ianina, Whyte, Lyle G., Parro, Victor, Fairén, Alberto G.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Frontiers Media SA 2021
• Subjects: Microbiology (medical); Microbiology; Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Livingston Island; Antarc*
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.670982; https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.670982/full

Nunataks are permanent ice-free rocky peaks that project above ice caps in polar regions, thus being exposed to extreme climatic conditions throughout the year. They undergo extremely low temperatures and scarcity of liquid water in winter, while receiving high incident and reflected (albedo) UVA-B...