Studies at similar sites on Mars in Utah and Nunavut have focused on lichen diversity; It helped predict the survival of lichens on Mars, advancing our understanding of these organisms both on Earth and possibly in space.

Lichens are extremely hardy organisms that can survive on a wide variety of surfaces, from rocks to trees, from bare ground to buildings. These complex organisms, fungi and photosynthetic partners, come together as one large whole, found on every continent and almost certainly on every landmass on planet Earth; Some species even survived the collision outside the International Space Station.

The resilient nature of lichens has long intrigued researchers studying what life might survive on Mars and astrobiologists studying life on Earth as an analogue to our planetary neighbor. In the deserts surrounding two Mars analog stations in North America, lichens are such an important part of local ecosystems that they inspired a biodiversity assessment with a unique twist: a collection-based inventory conducted during a simulation of a mission to Mars.

Simulated missions to Mars and biodiversity survey

The Mars Desert Research Station in Utah, USA (on the Ute and Paiute Reservation) and the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station in Nunavut, Canada (on the Inuit Nunangat, Inuit homeland) are simulated Mars habitats operated by the Mars Society with crew participation. During the Mars Exploration Team’s dress rehearsals.

These “Martians” often explore the deserts in both places as they learn what it takes to live and work on our neighboring planet, often exploring methods for documenting microbial life and their biological signatures as a prelude to applying these tools and techniques off-world.

These studies are strengthened by a comprehensive understanding of the ecosystems studied, even if they are teeming with terrestrial life. During Mars 160, a series of dual missions to Utah and Nunavut in 2016 and 2017, the research team conducted a floristic survey of lichen biodiversity at each site.

Collection and identification of lichens on Mars analogues

During the extravehicular activity simulation, Mars 160 mission experts in simulated spacesuits explored different habitats on both stations, looking for lichen species growing in different microhabitats. After collecting more than 150 specimens, these specimens were “returned to Earth” and identified in the National Herbarium of Canada at the Canadian Museum of Nature.

Through morphological examination, internal anatomy and chemistry studies, and DNA barcoding, Mission Support identified 35 lichen species from the Mars Desert Research Station and 13 species from the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station.

Contributions to lichenology and astrobiology

These species, along with photographs and a brief description of their identifying features, are outlined in a new article recently published in the open-access journal. Checklist. This new annotated checklist will be useful to future teams working at both analog research stations and will enable terrestrial lichenologists to better understand the distribution of these fascinating organisms, including new records of rarely recorded or newly described species from some of Earth’s most interesting and otherworldly habitats. It will help them understand better. .