Thousands of meters underground, more organisms live in the extreme environment than on land or in the ocean.
A great many living organisms live on Earth, and they can even be found in harsh environments such as the Antarctic and the deep seas. In fact, there is a biosphere called the 'subsurface biosphere' several thousand meters underground, and it is said that the total weight of organisms living underground far exceeds the biomass of land and ocean.
In the area several tens to several hundred meters underground, the temperature remains stable at between 10 and 20 degrees. However, the deeper you go, the higher the temperature rises, reaching over 100 degrees at several thousand meters underground. Also, several thousand meters underground, there is strong pressure similar to that of the deep sea. Living organisms exist even in such extreme environments.
The biosphere made up of organisms living underground is called the 'subsurface biosphere' or 'deep subsurface biosphere.' The total weight of organisms living in the subsurface biosphere
The underground space is composed of porous rocks such as sandstone, limestone, and basalt, and organisms live in the gaps between these rocks.
One example of an underground organism is Desulforudis audaxviator, which was given its scientific name in 2008.
Desulforudis audaxviator is a type of eubacteria that uses inorganic substances such as hydrogen ions and sulfate ions contained in rocks as its energy source.
When there is no more nutrition in the surrounding area, Desulforudis audaxviator cuts off a part of itself, surrounds the cut-off part with itself, turns into a spore, and wanders underground.
It seems that the spores of Desulforudis audaxviator that wander underground will start to function as a new generation when they find a new source of nutrition.
Another example of an organism that lives underground is the bacterium Altiarchaeum hamiconexum.
Altiarchaeum hamiconexum has a double membrane covering its body to enable it to survive in extreme environments. It also has a unique way of moving, extending hook-like structures from its body and flying around underground.
Altiarchaeum hamiconexum uses carbon dioxide and hydrogen ions as energy sources.
Research into the subsurface biosphere is still in its early stages, and further discoveries are expected in the future.
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