Living Life in the Extreme

(From: Clynne MA,et al., 2003. USGS). Fumarole in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Fumaroles are also known as geothermal vents where volcanic gas is discharged.

By: Ashley Garcia 

Extreme environments fascinate scientists not only because of their nature but the organisms that are able to survive in them. As a result, there have been numerous studies examining the adaptations of these microorganisms to live in such ecosystems. Benson et al., analyzed the microbial diversity in several geothermal steam vents (fumaroles) through the development of novel DNA isolation techniques and x-ray microanalysis. Samples were collected from nonsulfur, sulfur, and iron steam vents from national parks in Hawaii, Yellowstone National Park, and California. Although difficult, sequence identification found Sulfolobus and Acidianus, including previously un-sequenced Crenarchaeota. This data was the first to confirm the presence of Archaea in steam deposits and demonstrated the diverse microbial communities present. This data further illustrates that there are no better creatures suited for extreme environments than the unseen microorganisms.

Benson CA, Bizzoco RW, Lipson DA, Kelley ST. (2011). Microbial diversity in nonsulfur, sulfur, and iron steam vents. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 76:74-88.