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Approaches Toward the Study of Halophilic Microorganisms in Their Natural Environments: Who Are They and What Are They Doing?

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Advances in Understanding the Biology of Halophilic Microorganisms

Abstract

Hypersaline lakes with salt concentrations exceeding 250 g/l are often characterized by very dense communities of halophilic microorganisms imparting a red coloration to the brines. Such red waters can be found in the North Arm of Great Salt Lake , Utah, in crystallizer ponds of solar salterns for the production of salt from seawater, and in many extremely hypersaline alkaline lakes. At times even the magnesium chloride-rich waters of the Dead Sea have become red as a result of massive development of pigmented salt-loving microorganisms.

Dedicated to the memory of Carol D. Litchfield (1936–2012) who taught me much about halophiles.

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  1. Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel

    Aharon Oren

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Oren, A. (2012). Approaches Toward the Study of Halophilic Microorganisms in Their Natural Environments: Who Are They and What Are They Doing?. In: Vreeland, R.H. (eds) Advances in Understanding the Biology of Halophilic Microorganisms. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5539-0_1

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