Lichens Found Thriving at Mars Analog Research Stations

Lichens Found Thriving at Mars Analog Research Stations
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 13, 2024

Lichens, those resilient organisms made up of fungi and photosynthetic partners, are found just about everywhere on Earth, thriving on surfaces like rocks, trees, and even buildings. Known from all continents, some species have even endured the harsh environment outside the International Space Station. Their adaptability has intrigued scientists, particularly astrobiologists who see Earth's lichens as analogs for life that might survive on Mars.

At two Mars analog research stations in North America, lichens play a key role in local ecosystems. This led to a unique biodiversity assessment during a simulated Mars mission. The Mars Desert Research Station in Utah, USA, and the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station in Nunavut, Canada, are managed by The Mars Society and provide a setting for researchers to simulate Martian living conditions. These "Martians" often conduct studies on microbial life, testing methods that could be used on Mars. To improve their understanding of the ecosystems at these sites, the Mars 160 mission, which took place between 2016 and 2017, involved a survey of the lichen biodiversity in both areas.

Wearing simulated spacesuits, Mars 160 mission specialists explored the habitats around the stations, collecting over 150 lichen specimens. These samples were analyzed at the National Herbarium of Canada, where researchers identified 35 lichen species from the Mars Desert Research Station and 13 species from the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station through a combination of morphology, internal anatomy, chemistry, and DNA barcoding.

The findings, which include species summaries and photographs, are detailed in a new paper published in the open-access journal 'Check List'. This annotated checklist is expected to assist future research crews working at these Mars analog stations, as well as contribute to the knowledge of lichenologists by documenting rarely reported or newly described species from these extreme environments that resemble the conditions on Mars.

Research Report:An annotated checklist of the lichen biodiversity at two Mars analog sites: The Mars Desert Research Station (Utah, USA) and The Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (Nunavut, Canada) recorded during the Mars 160 Mission