Microbiology of the dry valleys of Antarctica.

• Main Authors: Horowitz, N. H., Cameron, R. E., Hubbard, J. S.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 1972
• Subjects: 13; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19720043592

The Antarctic provides a natural environment which is more like that of Mars than any other locality on earth. Life in the dry valleys is almost entirely microbial, with dense populations of algae found on the lake shores. The algae support an ecology of bacteria, yeasts, molds, and protozoans; rotifers, tardigrades, and small nematodes are also found. The organism count decreases rapidly with distance from the lakes, and sterile soils are found in the drier parts of the valleys. It is evident that the fear of carried terrestrial organisms multiplying on Mars is unfounded. Any possible Martian life must have evolved special means for obtaining and retaining water, if it is assumed that that is the biological solvent on Mars. Research shows that even under severe selective pressure, microbial life in the Antarctic has been unable to find a comparable mechanism.