Microbes of Extreme Conditions
An extremphile is an organism that thrives in and even may require physically or geochemically extreme conditions that are detrimental to the majority of life on Earth.
Most known extrmophiles are microbes. Neither are all extremophiles unicellular; protostome animals found in similar environments include the Pompeii worm, the psychrophilic Grylloblattodea (insects), Antartic krill (a crustacean), and the "water bear".
Types of extremophiles: There are many different classes of extremophiles, each corresponding to the way its environmental niche differs. For examples, each corresponding to the way its environmental niche differs. For eg. organisms living inside hot rocks deep under Earth's surface are both thermophilic.
A select list of extremophiles: Acidophile: An organism with an optimum pH level at or below pH 3.
Alkaliphile: An organism with optomal growth at pH levels of 9 or above.
Endolith: An organism that lives in microscopic space within rocks, such as pores between aggregate grains; thhese may also includes organisms populating fissures, aquifers, and faults filled with groundwater in the deep subsurface.
Halophile: An organism requiring at least 2M concentrations of salt (NaCI) for growth.
Hyperthermophile: An organism that can thrive at temperatures between 80-122 degree C, such as those found in hydrothermal systems.
Hypolith: An organism that lives inside rocks in cold deserts.
Metalotolerant: capable of tolerating high levels of dissoved heavy metals in solution, such as copper, cadmium, arsenic, and zinc; eg.s include Ferroplasma sp. and Ralstonia metallidurans.
Piezophile: An organism that lives optimally at high hydrostatic pressure; common in the deep terrestrial subsurface, as well as in oceanic trenches.
Polyextremophile: An organism that qualifies as an extremophile under more than one category.
Psychrophile/Cryophile: An organism that grows better at temperatures of 15 degree C. or lower; common in cold soils, permafrost, polar ice, cold ocean water, and in or under alpine snowpack.
Radioresistant: Organisms resistant to high levels of ionizing radiation, most commonly ultraviolet radiation, but also including organisms capable of resisting nuclear radiation.
Thermophile: Combination of thermophile and acidophile that prefer temperatures of 70-80 degree C.
Xerophile: An organism that can grow in extremely dry, desiccating conditions: this type is exemplified by the soil microbes of the Atacama Desert.
An extremphile is an organism that thrives in and even may require physically or geochemically extreme conditions that are detrimental to the majority of life on Earth.
Most known extrmophiles are microbes. Neither are all extremophiles unicellular; protostome animals found in similar environments include the Pompeii worm, the psychrophilic Grylloblattodea (insects), Antartic krill (a crustacean), and the "water bear".
Types of extremophiles: There are many different classes of extremophiles, each corresponding to the way its environmental niche differs. For examples, each corresponding to the way its environmental niche differs. For eg. organisms living inside hot rocks deep under Earth's surface are both thermophilic.
A select list of extremophiles: Acidophile: An organism with an optimum pH level at or below pH 3.
Alkaliphile: An organism with optomal growth at pH levels of 9 or above.
Endolith: An organism that lives in microscopic space within rocks, such as pores between aggregate grains; thhese may also includes organisms populating fissures, aquifers, and faults filled with groundwater in the deep subsurface.
Halophile: An organism requiring at least 2M concentrations of salt (NaCI) for growth.
Hyperthermophile: An organism that can thrive at temperatures between 80-122 degree C, such as those found in hydrothermal systems.
Hypolith: An organism that lives inside rocks in cold deserts.
Metalotolerant: capable of tolerating high levels of dissoved heavy metals in solution, such as copper, cadmium, arsenic, and zinc; eg.s include Ferroplasma sp. and Ralstonia metallidurans.
Piezophile: An organism that lives optimally at high hydrostatic pressure; common in the deep terrestrial subsurface, as well as in oceanic trenches.
Polyextremophile: An organism that qualifies as an extremophile under more than one category.
Psychrophile/Cryophile: An organism that grows better at temperatures of 15 degree C. or lower; common in cold soils, permafrost, polar ice, cold ocean water, and in or under alpine snowpack.
Radioresistant: Organisms resistant to high levels of ionizing radiation, most commonly ultraviolet radiation, but also including organisms capable of resisting nuclear radiation.
Thermophile: Combination of thermophile and acidophile that prefer temperatures of 70-80 degree C.
Xerophile: An organism that can grow in extremely dry, desiccating conditions: this type is exemplified by the soil microbes of the Atacama Desert.
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