Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
15
Unusual
or Extreme
Habitats
Adaptations to Extremes
Saline Lakes
Hot Springs
Cold Habitats
Temporary Waters and Small Pools
Ultraligotrophic Habitats
Deep Subsurface Habitats
Neuston
Summary
Questions for Thought
Abiotic extremes create unusual environments that are engaging to
aquatic ecologists because of their novelty. Microorganisms that can live in
almost boiling water and animals that can live in near-freezing water are
fascinating. In addition to the academic interest, these habitats provide in-
sight into how organisms may tolerate pollution (e.g., studies on thermal
pollution and greenhouse effects may be enhanced by existing research on
hot springs, whereas organisms from saline lakes may provide clues to
species' responses to salinization by agricultural runoff). Furthermore,
aquatic microbial ecologists and biotechnologists have isolated useful mi-
crobes from extreme habitats, such as those that produce the enzymes es-
sential for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), an essential tool in mod-
ern molecular biology. In this chapter, I discuss how organisms adapt to
different extremes and the environments in which the extremes occur. The
extremes considered here include high and low temperatures, periodic dry-
ing, high salinity, surface layers of water (high light), and ultraoligotrophic
waters.
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