Endolithic Plants

In spite of the present harsh climatic conditions of the western Asgard Range, or perhaps because of them, endolithic plants are presently growing in the sandstone exposed in the Linnaeus Terrace on the north-facing (i.e., sunny) slope of the Asgard Range in Fig. 19.22 

Lichens and mites were also discovered at several locations in the Transantarctic Mountains by biologist 

The presence of endolithic cyanobacteria in rocks of the ice-free valleys was discovered in 1976 and led to a systematic study of the micro-organisms that live 

The lichen prefer rock surfaces that face north because they are warmed by solar radiation, as demonstrated by Miotke (1979a) in Taylor Valley. His results indicated that the temperature at a depth of 10 cm in marble and dolerite fluctuated daily and approached +10°C in the afternoon, provided that the sun was shining. Liquid water that forms by melting of snow can infiltrate the underlying rock where it supports the metabolic activity of the endolithic organisms (Friedmann 1978) and promotes chemical weathering (Miotke 1980). When the weathering rind flakes off, the endolithic lichen are exposed at the surface where they cannot survive. 

The endolithic lichen and algae of Antarctica are a remarkable adaptation of these plants to the harsh climatic conditions, especially in the winter when the sun does not shine and the temperature can drop to about -60°C (Heinrich 1976). 

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In spite of the harsh climate that characterizes the Transantarctic Mountains, bacteria, algae, lichens, and moss grow in sheltered places in the soil and some plants have adapted by becoming endolithic. Even mites and nematodes have been discovered in the ice-free valleys and algal mats thrive in the warm brines that occur at the bottom of the largest and deepest lakes. 

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