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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology pp 1781Cite as

Xerophile

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Definition

Xerophile is an extremophile organism that can develop with a low availability of water, also known as water activity. Xerophiles can survive in environments with water activity below 0.8. Endolithic and halophilic microorganisms are often xerotolerant.

See also

Endolithic

Halophile

Water

Water Activity

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Extremophiles, Department of Planetology and Habitability, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Ctra de Ajalvir km 4. Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

Authors
  1. Ricardo Amils
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ricardo Amils .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Astrophysicist, Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Bordeaux, BP 89, 33270, Floirac, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  2. Departamento de Planetología y Habitabilidad Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Campus Cantoblanco, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  3. Department of Astrophysics, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC) Ctra de Ajalvir km 4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5251 Broad Branch Rd. NW, Washington, DC, 20015, USA

    Henderson James (Jim) Cleaves II

  5. Department of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts Lederle Graduate Research, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA, 01003-9305, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. GEOTOP & Départment des Sciences de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec à Montréal, CP 8888, succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada

    Daniele L. Pinti

  7. Astrobiology, CNES/DSP/EU, 2 place Maurice-Quentin, 75039, Paris, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Amils, R. (2011). Xerophile. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-11274-4_4006

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