A Soil studies : microflora of desert regions III Microorganisms in Valley of 10,000 Smokes desert
Morelli FA, Cameron RE, Blank GB. 1965. A Soil studies : microflora of desert regions III Microorganisms in Valley of 10,000 Smokes desert. JPL Space Programs Summary. 4(37-32):196-202
This article describes microorganisms in four of 12 soil samples collected from the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes in August 1963 by researchers with the U.S. Jet Propulsion Laboratory as part of an effort to design methods for detecting life on Mars. Additional samples were collected for physical and chemical analyses. The soils themselves were not toxic. Restrictive soil physical factors influencing microorganisms included rapid surface desiccation, fast infiltration and percolation rate, rapid leaching, and a narrow range of available soil moisture. Restrictive soil chemical factors included extremely low cation exchange capacity, negligible nutrient availability, and absence of clay minerals. Low pH, few inorganic sources of carbon or nitrogen, and very little organic matter also contributed to a sparse microflora.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Morelli, F; Cameron, R; Blank, G
- Units
- KATM
- Keywords
- Algae, Katmai National Park And Preserve, Lichen (Mycophycophyta), Microflora, Microorganisms, Mosses, Soil Chemistry, Soils, Valley Of Ten Thousand Smokes, Vegetation