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Antarctic Sea Ice--a Habitat for Extremophiles

2002; American Association for the Advancement of Science; Volume: 295; Issue: 5555 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1126/science.1063391

1095-9203

David N. Thomas, Gerhard Dieckmann,

Algal biology and biofuel production

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.