Carbon Cycling in Saline Ecosystems #worldresearchawards #researchaward #researcher #carboncycle
Saline lakes are some of the most chemically complex and ecologically unique environments on Earth. Their high salt concentrations, variable pH, and extreme ionic compositions create challenging conditions where carbon breakdown follows pathways very different from those in freshwater systems. This video explores how substrate chemistry plays a central role in controlling carbon degradation and cycling within saline lake ecosystems. At the heart of carbon breakdown is the chemical nature of available substrates organic compounds such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and refractory carbon. In saline lakes, elevated salinity alters substrate solubility, molecular interactions, and enzyme activity, directly influencing how microbes access and metabolize carbon sources. Certain salts can inhibit decomposition, while others promote specialized microbial communities capable of thriving under extreme conditions. Microorganisms adapted to high salinity, including halophilic bacteria and a...