Subsurface Microbial Habitats in an Extreme Desert Mars-analog Environment

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aut.relation.articlenumber69en_NZ
aut.relation.journalFrontiers in Microbiologyen_NZ
aut.relation.volume10en_NZ
aut.researcherDrabsch, Julie
dc.contributor.authorWarren-Rhodes, KAen_NZ
dc.contributor.authorLee, KCen_NZ
dc.contributor.authorArcher, SDJen_NZ
dc.contributor.authorCabrol, Nen_NZ
dc.contributor.authorNg-Boyle, Len_NZ
dc.contributor.authorWettergreen, Den_NZ
dc.contributor.authorZacny, Ken_NZ
dc.contributor.authorPointing, SBen_NZ
dc.contributor.authorNASA Life in the Atacama Project Teamen_NZ
dc.date.accessioned2020-01-17T01:31:19Z
dc.date.available2020-01-17T01:31:19Z
dc.date.copyright2019en_NZ
dc.date.issued2019en_NZ
dc.description.abstractSediments in the hyper-arid core of the Atacama Desert are a terrestrial analog to Mars regolith. Understanding the distribution and drivers of microbial life in the sediment may give critical clues on how to search for biosignatures on Mars. Here, we identify the spatial distribution of highly specialized bacterial communities in previously unexplored depth horizons of subsurface sediments to a depth of 800 mm. We deployed an autonomous rover in a mission-relevant Martian drilling scenario with manual sample validation. Subsurface communities were delineated by depth related to sediment moisture. Geochemical analysis indicated soluble salts and minerology that influenced water bio-availability, particularly in deeper sediments. Colonization was also patchy and uncolonized sediment was associated with indicators of extreme osmotic challenge. The study identifies linkage between biocomplexity, moisture and geochemistry in Mars-like sediments at the limit of habitability and demonstrates feasibility of the rover-mounted drill for future Mars sample recovery.en_NZ
dc.identifier.citationFrontiers in Microbiology, 10:69. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00069
dc.identifier.doi10.3389/fmicb.2019.00069en_NZ
dc.identifier.issn1664-302Xen_NZ
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/13095
dc.languageengen_NZ
dc.publisherFrontiers Mediaen_NZ
dc.relation.urihttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00069/full
dc.rightsCopyright © 2019 Warren-Rhodes, Lee, Archer, Cabrol, Ng-Boyle, Wettergreen, Zacny, Pointing and the NASA Life in the Atacama Project Team. This is an openaccess article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
dc.rights.accessrightsOpenAccessen_NZ
dc.subjectAtacamaen_NZ
dc.subjectDesert soilen_NZ
dc.subjectMarsen_NZ
dc.subjectMoisture stressen_NZ
dc.subjectSoil bacteriaen_NZ
dc.titleSubsurface Microbial Habitats in an Extreme Desert Mars-analog Environmenten_NZ
dc.typeJournal Article
pubs.elements-id354082
pubs.organisational-data/AUT
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/Health & Environmental Science
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/Health & Environmental Science/Applied Science
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/Health & Environmental Science/School of Science
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF/PBRF Health and Environmental Sciences
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF/PBRF Health and Environmental Sciences/HA Science 2018 PBRF
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