Microbial response to deliquescence of nitrate-rich soils in the hyperarid Atacama Desert

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dc.contributor.authorFelix L. Arens
dc.contributor.authorAlessandro Airo
dc.contributor.authorChristof Sager
dc.contributor.authorHans Peter Grossart
dc.contributor.authorKai Mangelsdorf
dc.contributor.authorRainer U. Meckenstock
dc.contributor.authorMark Pannekens
dc.contributor.authorPhilippe Schmitt Kopplin
dc.contributor.authorJenny Uhl
dc.contributor.authorBernardita Valenzuela
dc.contributor.authorPedro Zamorano
dc.contributor.authorLuca Zoccarato
dc.contributor.authorDirk Schulze-Makuch
dc.date.accessioned2026-01-21T20:08:02Z
dc.date.available2026-01-21T20:08:02Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.description.abstractLife in hyperarid regions has adapted to extreme water scarcity through mechanisms like salt deliquescence. While halite (NaCl) crusts have been intensively studied and identified as one of the last habitats under hyperarid conditions, other less common hygroscopic salt crusts remain unexplored. Here, we investigated newly discovered deliquescent soil surfaces in the Atacama Desert, containing substantial amounts of nitrates, to evaluate their habitability for microorganisms. We characterized the environment with respect to water availability and biogeochemistry. Microbial abundances and composition were determined by cell cultivation experiments, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and membrane phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis, while microbial activity was assessed by analyzing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and the molecular composition of organic matter. Our findings reveal that, while the studied hygroscopic salts provide temporary water, microbial abundances and activity are lower in the studied soil surfaces than in non-deliquescent soil surfaces. Intriguingly, the deliquescent crusts are enriched in geochemically degraded organic matter, indicated by the molecular composition. We conclude that high nitrate concentrations in the hyperarid soils suppress microbial activity but preserve eolian-derived biomolecules. These insights are important for assessing the habitability and searching for life in hyperarid environments on Earth and beyond.
dc.description.sponsorshipEuropean Research Council within the framework of the Horizon Europe program (grant no. 339231) and by the DFG (project no. 450240159).
dc.identifier.doi10.5194/bg-21-5305-2024
dc.identifier.issn17264170
dc.identifier.urihttps://repositorioabierto.uantof.cl/handle/uantof/626
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsAttribution 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.sourceBiogeosciences
dc.titleMicrobial response to deliquescence of nitrate-rich soils in the hyperarid Atacama Desert
dc.typeArticle
oaire.citation.volume21
organization.identifier.rorUniversidad de Antofagasta
uantof.identificator.departmentDepartamento Biomédico
uantof.identificator.facultyFacultad de Ciencias de la Salud
uantof.identificator.instituteInstituto Antofagasta
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