Collection of prokaryotes isolated from the Salar de Uyuni. Collection of prokaryotes isolated from the Salar de Uyuni

The Salar de Uyuni (SdU) is the largest hypersaline environment on Earth. It is of the atalasohaline type and is located in the Bolivian Altiplano. It is a poly-extreme environment mainly due to its high salinity, low water activity values and high concentration of chaotropic salts. In this study, more than 200 microorganisms were isolated from samples located to the north of the salar, whose chemical composition contains a higher Na content, and to the south of the salar, whose Mg and Li content is higher than in the north. In addition, samples were taken both in the wet-warm season, when the salar is transformed into an extensive hypersaline lake, and in the dry-warm season, when the salt crust becomes visible.