Extreme Environments

Extreme environments are important to environmental microbiologists because they potentially harbor unique microorganisms with activities and metabolic strategies that are not only of scientific interest, but also have commercial potential. Examples of such commercial applications include potentially novel enzymes adapted to temperature or pH extremes. Here are described six different extreme environments. These are: the low temperature environment of the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica; the high temperature environment of the geothermal hot springs in Yellowstone National Park; the Atacama Desert in Chile characterized by aridity and UV stress; and three environments where low levels of organic matter and the absence of photosynthesis have resulted in ecosystems dominated by chemoautotrophic microorganisms. These latter are: marine deep-sea hydrothermal vents; an acid mine drainage system; and a carbonate cave located in the Sonora Desert.