Sea ice, extremophiles and life on extra-terrestrial ocean worlds
The primary aim of this review is to highlight that sea-ice microbes would be capable of occupying ice-associated biological niches on Europa and Enceladus. These moons are compelling targets for astrobiological exploration because of the inferred presence of subsurface oceans that have persisted ov...
Published in: | International Journal of Astrobiology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | unknown |
Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2017
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://eprints.utas.edu.au/24607/ https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550416000483 |
id |
ftunivtasmania:oai:eprints.utas.edu.au:24607 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftunivtasmania:oai:eprints.utas.edu.au:24607 2023-05-15T18:16:56+02:00 Sea ice, extremophiles and life on extra-terrestrial ocean worlds Martin, A McMinn, A 2017 https://eprints.utas.edu.au/24607/ https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550416000483 unknown Cambridge University Press Martin, A orcid:0000-0001-8260-5529 and McMinn, A orcid:0000-0002-2133-3854 2017 , 'Sea ice, extremophiles and life on extra-terrestrial ocean worlds' , International Journal of Astrobiology, vol. 17, no. 1 , pp. 1-16 , doi:10.1017/S1473550416000483 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1473550416000483>. astrobiology extremophiles microorganisms sea ice ocean worlds Article PeerReviewed 2017 ftunivtasmania https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550416000483 2021-08-16T22:17:20Z The primary aim of this review is to highlight that sea-ice microbes would be capable of occupying ice-associated biological niches on Europa and Enceladus. These moons are compelling targets for astrobiological exploration because of the inferred presence of subsurface oceans that have persisted over geological timescales. Although potentially hostile to life in general, Europa and Enceladus may still harbour biologically permissive domains associated with the ice, ocean and seafloor environments. However, validating sources of free energy is challenging, as is qualifying possible metabolic processes or ecosystem dynamics. Here, the capacity for biological adaptation exhibited by microorganisms that inhabit sea ice is reviewed. These ecosystems are among the most relevant Earth-based analogues for considering life on ocean worlds because microorganisms must adapt to multiple physicochemical extremes. In future, these organisms will likely play a significant role in defining the constraints on habitability beyond Earth and developing a mechanistic framework that contrasts the limits of Earth's biosphere with extra-terrestrial environments of interest. Article in Journal/Newspaper Sea ice University of Tasmania: UTas ePrints International Journal of Astrobiology 17 1 1 16 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Tasmania: UTas ePrints |
op_collection_id |
ftunivtasmania |
language |
unknown |
topic |
astrobiology extremophiles microorganisms sea ice ocean worlds |
spellingShingle |
astrobiology extremophiles microorganisms sea ice ocean worlds Martin, A McMinn, A Sea ice, extremophiles and life on extra-terrestrial ocean worlds |
topic_facet |
astrobiology extremophiles microorganisms sea ice ocean worlds |
description |
The primary aim of this review is to highlight that sea-ice microbes would be capable of occupying ice-associated biological niches on Europa and Enceladus. These moons are compelling targets for astrobiological exploration because of the inferred presence of subsurface oceans that have persisted over geological timescales. Although potentially hostile to life in general, Europa and Enceladus may still harbour biologically permissive domains associated with the ice, ocean and seafloor environments. However, validating sources of free energy is challenging, as is qualifying possible metabolic processes or ecosystem dynamics. Here, the capacity for biological adaptation exhibited by microorganisms that inhabit sea ice is reviewed. These ecosystems are among the most relevant Earth-based analogues for considering life on ocean worlds because microorganisms must adapt to multiple physicochemical extremes. In future, these organisms will likely play a significant role in defining the constraints on habitability beyond Earth and developing a mechanistic framework that contrasts the limits of Earth's biosphere with extra-terrestrial environments of interest. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Martin, A McMinn, A |
author_facet |
Martin, A McMinn, A |
author_sort |
Martin, A |
title |
Sea ice, extremophiles and life on extra-terrestrial ocean worlds |
title_short |
Sea ice, extremophiles and life on extra-terrestrial ocean worlds |
title_full |
Sea ice, extremophiles and life on extra-terrestrial ocean worlds |
title_fullStr |
Sea ice, extremophiles and life on extra-terrestrial ocean worlds |
title_full_unstemmed |
Sea ice, extremophiles and life on extra-terrestrial ocean worlds |
title_sort |
sea ice, extremophiles and life on extra-terrestrial ocean worlds |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://eprints.utas.edu.au/24607/ https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550416000483 |
genre |
Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Sea ice |
op_relation |
Martin, A orcid:0000-0001-8260-5529 and McMinn, A orcid:0000-0002-2133-3854 2017 , 'Sea ice, extremophiles and life on extra-terrestrial ocean worlds' , International Journal of Astrobiology, vol. 17, no. 1 , pp. 1-16 , doi:10.1017/S1473550416000483 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1473550416000483>. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550416000483 |
container_title |
International Journal of Astrobiology |
container_volume |
17 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
1 |
op_container_end_page |
16 |
_version_ |
1766190902393438208 |