Ecophysiological study of green microalgae isolated from the grit crust of the Atacama Desert
K Glaser, F Kuschel, L R Prelle, P Jung, U Karsten · 2026
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Description
K Glaser and colleagues published a 2026 ecophysiology study of green algae living in the grit crust of Chile's Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth. Grit crust is a biological soil crust in the coastal Pan de Azúcar national park, where algae partner with other microbes to form a living skin. The team cultured four strains from the crust and measured how well each photosynthesized, tolerated temperature, and recovered after drying out.
The species differed. Pseudochlorella signiensis achieved the highest photosynthetic capacity, while both Klebsormidium strains used light efficiently. Recovery from drying at low humidity was poor in all four strains, a surprise for desert organisms. The authors explain it through local climate: coastal fog keeps humidity moderate, so desiccation resistance may never have been selected for. The study supplies baseline knowledge on South American terrestrial algae and a test case for biocrusts as fog patterns shift.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | K Glaser, F Kuschel, L R Prelle, P Jung, U Karsten |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 43 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |