Atmospheric microbes: Difference between revisions
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
Unlike other habitats, the atmosphere is not the sole adobe of any organism, with all of the microbes in the atmosphere also existing in a terrestrial or oceanic environment. Either natural forces such as wind or human pollution can send these microorganisms into the atmosphere.<ref>[https://academic.oup.com/femsec/article/23/4/263/539429]</ref> The atmosphere itself is vast, with several physical layers that extend up to space that present extremes in temperature, pressure, and UV radiation.<ref>[https://aem.asm.org/content/84/23/e01942-18]</ref> | Unlike other habitats, the atmosphere is not the sole adobe of any organism, with all of the microbes in the atmosphere also existing in a terrestrial or oceanic environment. Either natural forces such as wind or human pollution can send these microorganisms into the atmosphere.<ref>[https://academic.oup.com/femsec/article/23/4/263/539429]</ref> The atmosphere itself is vast, with several physical layers that extend up to space that present extremes in temperature, pressure, and UV radiation.<ref>[https://aem.asm.org/content/84/23/e01942-18]</ref> | ||
[[ F1.png |thumb|300px|right| Diagram showing the layers of the atmosphere and the conditions present at each height, as well as sources of atmospheric cells. Figure from [https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/microbial-ecology-in-the-atmosphere-the-last-extreme-environment/ Aguilera et al.] | [[ F1.png |thumb|300px|right| Diagram showing the layers of the atmosphere and the conditions present at each height, as well as sources of atmospheric cells. Figure from [https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/microbial-ecology-in-the-atmosphere-the-last-extreme-environment/ Aguilera et al.]]] | ||
==Microbial Ecology of the Atmosphere== | ==Microbial Ecology of the Atmosphere== | ||
Revision as of 00:42, 3 June 2020
Introduction
By Robert Gallo
The atmosphere, despite lacking a constant medium for organisms to live on, contains many microbes that live in it. Microbes enter the atmosphere as soil is lifted from the surface by winds, bringing the microbes that live in that soil into the atmosphere as well.[1] While previously these microbes were thought to be exclusively dormant, there is a growing body of work demonstrating atmospheric microbes that have an active metabolism.[2] While studying these organisms remains difficult due to the lack of a standardized method of capturing and culturing them,[3] these organisms are researched for their interactions with the terrestrial biosphere, their potential role as condensation nuclei, and as a possible model for extraterrestrial life.
The Environment of the Atmosphere
Unlike other habitats, the atmosphere is not the sole adobe of any organism, with all of the microbes in the atmosphere also existing in a terrestrial or oceanic environment. Either natural forces such as wind or human pollution can send these microorganisms into the atmosphere.[4] The atmosphere itself is vast, with several physical layers that extend up to space that present extremes in temperature, pressure, and UV radiation.[5] thumb|300px|right| Diagram showing the layers of the atmosphere and the conditions present at each height, as well as sources of atmospheric cells. Figure from [https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/microbial-ecology-in-the-atmosphere-the-last-extreme-environment/ Aguilera et al.]
![thumb|300px|right| Diagram showing the layers of the atmosphere and the conditions present at each height, as well as sources of atmospheric cells. Figure from [https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/microbial-ecology-in-the-atmosphere-the-last-extreme-environment/ Aguilera et al.]](/index.php?title=F1.png&action=edit&redlink=1){kind=link}