Abstract
In aquatic and moist soil environments subjected to periodic drying, a diverse group of organisms (mostly microscopic) have evolved extreme desiccation tolerance through a physiological adaptation called ‘anhydrobiosis’. Notable among such organisms are tardigrades, bdelloid rotifers, and nematodes. Anhydrobiosis also allows these organisms to tolerate extreme temperatures and ionizing radiation. In this article, the signi-cance and some mechanisms of anhydrobiosis are described.
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After retiring in 2004 from the University of Delhi where he was Professor and Director of the School of Environmental Studies, T Ramakrishna Rao served as a visiting Professor for six years (2010–2016) at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali. He received his PhD from the University of California and conducted postdoctoral research in British Columbia (Canada) and Hawaii (USA). His research interests are in the roles of competition and predation in the life of freshwater zooplankton.
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Rao, T.R. Anhydrobiosis. Reson 23, 545–553 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12045-018-0648-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12045-018-0648-5