Ultraviolet protection in microhabitats - lessons from the terrestrial poles applied to Mars

Details Ultraviolet protection in microhabitats - lessons from the terrestrial poles applied to Mars Ultraviolet protection in microhabitats - lessons from the terrestrial poles applied to Mars

Nov 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002esasp.518..215c&link_type=abstract

In: Proceedings of the First European Workshop on Exo-Astrobiology, 16 - 19 September 2002, Graz, Austria. Ed.: Huguette Lacoste

Biology

2

Life, Mars, Terrestrial Analogues

Scientific paper

Spectroradiometry and dosimeters made from a monolayer of Bacillus subtilis spores were used to investigate the penetration of ultraviolet radiation into some widespread terrestrial microbial microhabitats in the Antarctic and Artic. Layers of soil or dust, of ≥500 microns thickness, could reduce UV exposure such that no inactivation of spores could be measured after three days. Control spores were killed in 24 h. Spores in artificial cryptoendolithic habitats with ~1 mm rock covering obtained a reduction of UV radiation-induced inactivation of at least two orders of magnitude. Hypolithic spores were protected against any inactivation for at least four days. Snow covers of between 5 and 15 cm thickness, depending on age and heterogeneity, attenuated UV radiation by an order of magnitude, although snow cover is seasonal and subject to climatic factors. These dosimetric data demonstrate that, except for microbes on the surface of soil grains, many polar terrestrial microbial communities are well protected from incident UV radiation by a variety of physical and biological coverings - in contrast to isolated cells in polar aquatic habitats. The data have implications for protection of microorganisms transferred to Mars on spacecraft and organic material delivered by impact events.

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