Endolithic microorganisms from spring mound evaporite deposits (southern Tunisia)

This paper investigates endolithic microorganisms in modern gypsum crusts located in arid and saline areas of southern Tunisia. In arid regions, the endolithic mode of life facilitates the survival of the microorganisms and protects them from extreme environmental conditions. The gypsum crusts are the product of evaporite precipitation atop spring mounds developed at the margins of the Chott el Jerid, a saline lake close to the Algerian border. The early mineral precipitation has prevented the complete degradation of these microorganisms and their metabolic products because of the rapid sealing provided by the gypsum crusts. The spring mound structures of the Chott el Jerid offer an opportunity to study the endolithic communities in evaporite and arid environments. An understanding of where and how life survives in such extreme conditions, and how life signal prints in the rocks may help in search for life in the geological record and for astrobiological purposes.