Feb. 1, 2016 - The polar regions of the globe are often very cold for the most of the year. In the dead of winter, these environments can experience air temperatures well below -50° F! The coldest temperature on record (-128° F) was measured in Antarctica in 1983. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) February 1 Soils Matter blog post explains even though Antarctica a lifeless, barren area, scientists have found life in the form of microbes.

According to blog writers Mary Tiedeman and Ed Gregorich, microbes are able to survive by living in microscopic films of water that stick to soil particles (adherence). The bond energy between water molecules and soil particles is so great that it prevents the thin layer of water from freezing, even at extremely low temperatures. Microbes live in this unfrozen water, which allows them to stay alive even during the long deep freeze of winter.

To read the entire blog post, visit http://soilsmatter.wordpress.com.

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