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Vesicular Basalts as a Niche for Microbial Life

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Life on Earth and other Planetary Bodies

Part of the book series: Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology ((COLE,volume 24))

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Abstract

The ongoing discovery of traces of microbial communities in locations on Earth where conditions are, or were, hostile to life suggests that unknown microbial ecosystems and habitats are yet to be detected. Volcanic environments on the ocean floor provide an important potential habitat for microbial life. Evidence of microbial activity and traces within the primary glassy rinds of basalts have revealed a highly complex microhabitat. Recent findings demonstrate that microbial activity and biodiversity in sub-seafloor volcanic rocks are also more differentiated than previously recognized. In addition to the glassy rinds of subsea pillow basalts, microbial ecosystems that have the potential to preserve traces of life in the geological record have been recognized in vesicular basalts. Here, we present a brief review of the evidence for endolithic microorganisms in volcanic basaltic rocks with an emphasis on the relatively poorly studied vesicular basalts that host microbial ecosystems. These types of habitats are of particular interest in the search for life on rocky, water-bearing terrestrial planets.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    At present, the highest temperature known to permit growth and life is less than 113–121 °C (Takai et al., 2001; Kashefi and Lovley, 2003); however, higher temperatures may be tolerated during short-term survival.

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5. Acknowledgements

We gratefully thank Le Studium, Institute for Advanced Studies, Region Centre, Orléans, France, and the NASA Exobiology Program and NASA Astrobiology Institute. Thanks are due to Nisha Mathew, University of the Witwatersrand, who kindly reviewed the English version of the chapter. BC would like to thanks Paula F. Martínez, Johannesburg.

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  1. Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, APK Campus, 524, Auckland Park 2006, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Barbara Cavalazzi

  2. Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS, Rue Charles Sadron, F-45071, Orléans cedex 2, France

    Frances Westall

  3. Department of Geology, Portland State University, 751, Portland, OR, 97207-0751, USA

    Sherry L. Cady

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  2. , Physical Geology and Global Cycles, Institute of Applied Geosciences (IAG), Schnittspahnstraße 9, Darmstadt, 64287, Germany

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  3. University of Jerusalem, Mevo Hadas 20, Efrat, 90435, Israel

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Cavalazzi, B., Westall, F., Cady, S.L. (2012). Vesicular Basalts as a Niche for Microbial Life. In: Hanslmeier, A., Kempe, S., Seckbach, J. (eds) Life on Earth and other Planetary Bodies. Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology, vol 24. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4966-5_4

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