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Microorganisms and the Growth of Higher Plants in Lunar-Derived Soils

2015; Linguagem: Inglês

10.2134/1989.lunarbaseagriculture.c9

2691-2341

G. Stotzky,

Magnetic and Electromagnetic Effects

Life on a lunar base will be affected—in fact, controlled—by microbes, as is life on Earth. Consequently, the factors that influence the activity, ecology, and population dynamics of microbes on Earth should be similar on the Moon. Although genetically engineered microorganisms may have potentially important roles in rendering the lunar surface more hospitable for earthlings, information on the potential hazards of such "superbugs" is available to consider seriously their introduction into the sterile lunar environment. One of the components of natural terrestrial soils that is important to the growth of microbes and plants are clay minerals, which appear to be absent in the lunar regolith. In addition to retaining nutrients on their exchange complexes, clay minerals also remove protons, heavy metals, and other toxicants from their associated water, thereby enabling the continuous growth of microbes.