Light, Temperature, and Nutrient Availability Influence Microbial Colonization of Lava Caves
Phillips-Lander CM, Miller K, Hausrath EM, Stockton AM, McCollum N, Madden ME. Light, Temperature, and Nutrient Availability Influence Microbial Colonization of Lava Caves. In Lunar and Planetary Science XLVIII (2017). Woodlands, Texas. March 20-24, 2017
study documents and directly compares chemical and biological weathering and biosignature formation in 4 spatially co-located lava tubes of Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho (CROM) (43.2058° N, 113,5002°W). These caves, located within a 1.6 km area within the Grassy Flow (7,360+60 yr) [11] represent warm/dry (Screaming Jaws of Death Cave), warm/wet (Pond Cave), cold/wet (Ice Lake Cave) and cold/damp (Spongy Floor Cave) conditions respectively. Results from this study will define a range of weathering, mineralogical, and trace element signatures that may be encountered during cave exploration on Mars.
- Type
- Conference Proceeding Paper
- Authors
- Phillips-Lander, C.; Miller, Kayla; Hausrath, Elisabeth; Stockton, Amanda; McCollum, Nina; Madden, M. E.
- Units
- CRMO
- Keywords
- Caves, Ice Lake, Pond Cave, Screaming Jaws, Spongy Floor