An endolith or endolithic is an organism (archaeon, bacterium, fungus, lichen, algae or amoeba) that is able to acquire the necessary resources for growth in the inner part of a rock,[1]mineral, coral, animal shells, or in the pores between mineral grains of a rock. Many are extremophiles, living in places long considered inhospitable to life. The distribution, biomass, and diversity of endolith microorganisms are determined by the physical and chemical properties of the rock substrate, including the mineral composition, permeability, the presence of organic compounds, the structure and distribution of pores, water retention capacity, and the pH.[2][3][4][5] Normally, the endoliths colonize the areas within lithic substrates to withstand intense solar radiation, temperature fluctuations, wind, and desiccation.[6]
They are of particular interest to astrobiologists, who theorize that endolithic environments on Mars and other planets constitute potential refugia for extraterrestrial microbial communities.[7][8]
^Omelon, CR (2016). "Endolithic Microorganisms and Their Habitats". In Hurst, C.J. (ed.). Advances in environmental microbiology. Their World: A Diversity of Microbial Environments. Cincinnati, USA: Springer.
^Cockell, C. S.; Olsson, K.; Knowles, F.; Kelly, L.; Herrera, A.; Thorsteinsson, T.; Marteinsson, V. (2009). "Bacteria in weathered basaltic glass, Iceland. Bacteria in weathered basaltic glass, Iceland". Geomicrobiology Journal. 26 (7): 491–507. doi:10.1080/01490450903061101. S2CID131694781.
^Herrera, A.; Cockell, C. S.; Self, S.; Blaxter, M.; Reitner, J.; Thorsteinsson, T.; Tindle, A. G. (2009). "A cryptoendolithic community in volcanic glass". Astrobiology. 9 (4): 369–381. Bibcode:2009AsBio...9..369H. doi:10.1089/ast.2008.0278. PMID19519213.
^Omelon, C. R.; Pollard, W. H.; Ferris, F. G. (2007). "Inorganic species distribution and microbial diversity within high Arctic cryptoendolithic habitats". Microbial Ecology. 54 (4): 740–752. doi:10.1007/s00248-007-9235-0. PMID17457639. S2CID19843927.
^Wierzchos, J.; Camara, B.; De Los Rios, A.; Davila, A. F.; Sanchaz Almazo, M.; Artieda, O.; Wierzchos, K.; Gomez-Silva, B.; McKay, C.; Ascaso, C. (2011). "Microbial colonization of Ca-sulfate crusts in the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert: Implications for the search for life on Mars". Geobiology. 9 (1): 44–60. doi:10.1111/j.1472-4669.2010.00254.x. PMID20726901. S2CID9458330.