Defining the biological boundaries to sustain extant life on Mars

定义维持火星现存生命的生物边界

• 批准号: DP240102658
• 负责人: Prof Belinda Ferrari
• 金额: $ 44.91万
• 依托单位: The University of New South Wales
• 依托单位国家: 澳大利亚
• 项目类别: Discovery Projects
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 澳大利亚
• 起止时间: 2024-01-01 至 2026-12-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://dataportal.arc.gov.au/RGS/Web/Grants/DP240102658
• 关键词: Defining; biological; boundaries; sustain; extant

Key challenges for life are access to water & energy, and in cold, arid environments trace gas chemotrophy is used by soil microbiomes to sustain life. Given the cold, hyper-arid conditions on the Martian surface are analogues to ice-free regions of Antarctica, atmospheric chemoautotrophic ecosystems are the most promising ecological model for Martian life in the present or recent past. This project is significant, as it aims to define the limits to energy, water and carbon production via trace gas chemotrophy. We will integrate biology with astrophysics to identify at which point life ceases. Expected outcomes include new knowledge on the biological envelope, with benefits to include the identification of Martian regions for exploration.

生命面临的主要挑战是获得水和能源，在寒冷干旱的环境中，土壤微生物利用微量气体化学营养来维持生命。鉴于火星表面寒冷、极度干旱的条件类似于南极洲的无冰区，大气化学自养生态系统是目前或最近火星生命最有希望的生态模式。该项目意义重大，因为它旨在通过微量气体化养来确定能源，水和碳生产的限制。我们将把生物学与天体物理学结合起来，以确定生命在哪一点停止。预期成果包括关于生物包层的新知识，其益处包括确定火星的勘探区域。