Buoyancy studies in natural communities of square gas-vacuolate archaea in saltern crystallizer ponds
2006
Buoyancy Studies of Square Gas-Vacuolate Archaea
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Oren Aharon, Pri-El Nuphar, Shapiro Orr, Siboni Nachshon
Primary Institution: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hypothesis
Do gas vesicles enable square archaea to float to the surface of brines?
Conclusion
Gas vesicles do not provide significant buoyancy to square archaea in saltern crystallizer ponds.
Supporting Evidence
- Gas vesicles were found to provide negligible floating velocity to square archaea.
- The presence of gas vesicles may aid in light harvesting rather than buoyancy.
- Experimental evidence did not support the hypothesis that gas vesicles enable floating.
Takeaway
The gas bubbles inside certain tiny organisms don't help them float in salty water like we thought; instead, they might help the organisms catch more light.
Methodology
The study involved analyzing buoyancy and gas vesicle presence in square archaea from brine samples collected in Eilat, Israel.
Limitations
The study did not assess buoyancy in natural conditions, only in controlled experiments.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website