Microbial diversity of a partially desiccated crater maar

We studied the microbial component of a highly saline-alkaline maar crater in Mexico (Rincon del Parangueo). Samples included endolithic mats of calcareous sediments, microbial mats and free-living microorganisms from the remanent soda ponds. The domains Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya were surveyed using 16S and 18S rRNA amplicons. The sequences here detected were related to environmental sequences from sites with extreme life conditions.