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The Microbial Ecology of the Dead Sea

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Advances in Microbial Ecology

Part of the book series: Advances in Microbial Ecology ((AMIE,volume 10))

Abstract

The last decade has shown a great revival in the study of halophilic microorganisms. In part this interest has been caused by the discovery of properties interesting from a theoretical point of view, such as mechanisms of osmotic adjustment, the functioning of enzymes in the presence of high salt concentrations, and the possession of retinal pigments, such as bacteriorhodopsin and halorhodopsin in a number of Halobacterium strains, representing simple mechanisms of converting light energy into biologically available energy (Stoeckenius and Bogomolni, 1982). Moreover, accumulation of valuable products, such as glycerol and (in certain strains) β-carotene, in the halotolerant unicellular green alga Dunaliella has industrial potential (Ben-Amotz and Avron, 1983).

… a barren land, bare waste. Vulcanic lake, the dead sea: no fish, weedless, sunk deep in the earth. No wind would lift those waves. Brimstone they called it raining down: Sodom, Gomorrah, Edom. All dead names. A dead sea in a dead land, grey and old.

—James Joyce, Ulysses (1922)

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  1. Division of Microbial and Molecular Ecology, Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel

    Aharon Oren

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  1. University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia

    K. C. Marshall

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Oren, A. (1988). The Microbial Ecology of the Dead Sea. In: Marshall, K.C. (eds) Advances in Microbial Ecology. Advances in Microbial Ecology, vol 10. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5409-3_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5409-3_6

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