The Atacama Desert
Located in northern Chile, the Atacama desert is considered to be one of the worlds hottest and driest deserts, with an average temperature of 81 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer.
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Due to the inhospitable nature of this desert, located in Chile’s bone-dry Yungay Valley, very little survives in the most arid parts of the region. Yet, despite this, researchers have come across a form of life beneath the sand.
Researchers Stumble Upon Microorganisms
After conducting several investigations under the relentless sun, researchers were astounded to uncover the presence of microorganisms around 13 feet beneath the ground’s surface.
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The team of researchers would later share their findings in a study published by the National Library of Medicine.
Fragile Desert Ecosystem
Regarding the harsh environment, the researchers explain, “Desert environments constitute one of the largest and yet most fragile ecosystems on Earth.”
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“Under the absence of regular precipitation, microorganisms are the main ecological component mediating nutrient fluxes by using soil components, like minerals and salts, and atmospheric gases as a source for energy and water.”
Microbial Life in Deeper Sediment Layers
Speaking on the nature of their discovery, the scientists explain that very little is known about the microbial life found in the deep sediment layers of deserts.
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“Our study is extending the limited knowledge about microbial communities within the deeper subsurface of the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert,” wrote the researchers.
The Deepest Survey of Microbial Life in the Atacama
Their research stumbled upon a resilient group of bacteria that had become accustomed to the valley’s dryness and even thrive in these conditions despite being isolated from the surface.
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“To our knowledge, this represents the deepest microbial survey and discovery of microbial life in Atacama soils to this day,” the study authors explain.
The Perfect Conditions to Thrive
While some animals live in the less arid regions of the Atacama desert, very little thrives in the vicinity surrounding the researchers’ most recent discovery.
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However, microbial life has come to call the salty, sulfate-rich valley in Chile home, providing the bacteria with the ideal conditions to thrive.
Previous Discovery of Bacteria in the Atacama Desert
Prior to the recent discovery, microorganisms have been discovered at around a depth of 2.6 feet beneath the sand.
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As explained in a press release, “The first 80 centimeters of soil is thought to be a possible refuge from harsh UV light, a place where some water might be found.” However, the team of researchers began wondering if life could exist deeper in the soil.
Researchers Collect DNA From the Desert’s Soil
To test the plausibility of this theory, Dirk Wagner and his colleagues decided to collect deep subsurface soil from this part of the desert located in the Yungay Valley.
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In the next step, the scientists used a relatively simple extraction process, which allowed them to say with certainty that the DNA belonged to living organisms within the soil. This led to their discovery of the hidden biosphere.
The Types of Microbes Found
The microorganisms were located at depths between 13 and 6 feet below the surface of the desert.
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Researchers revealed that the upper portion was populated with Firmicute phylum microbes, whereas the lower portions contained distinct populations dominated by Actinobacteria. They also noted the presence of Firmicutes, which can withstand low oxygen levels and a high salt content.
19,000 Years Living in the Soil
The researchers explain how the bacteria survive in these arid environments, suggesting that it may have resulted from thousands of years of evolution.
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They also explain that the Actinobacteria phylum might have colonized the soil 19,000 years ago “before being buried by playa deposits, and hypothesize that the community could continue downwards for an indefinite distance, representing a previously unknown deep biosphere under hyper-arid desert soils.”
The Search for Life on Mars
Researchers are optimistic that further studies on the bacteria thriving in this harsh region could help with the search for extraterrestrial life on planets like Mars.
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“The deep bacterial community possibly relies on gypsum for water. The authors note that Mars also has gypsum deposits, which could theoretically serve as a source of water for microbial life,” they said.