The Cuatro Ciénegas Basin in Coahuila, Mexico: An Astrobiological Precambrian Park

Abstract

The Cuatro Ciénegas Basin (CCB) is a rare oasis in the Chihuahuan Desert in the state of Coahuila, Mexico. It has a biological endemism similar to that of the Galapagos Islands, and its spring-fed ecosystems have very low nutrient content (nitrogen or phosphorous) and are dominated by diverse microbialites. Thus, it has proven to be a distinctive opportunity for the field of astrobiology, as the CCB can be seen as a proxy for an earlier time in Earth's history, in particular the late Precambrian, the biological frontier when prokaryotic life yielded at least partial dominance to eukaryotes and multicellular life. It is a kind of ecological time machine that provides abundant opportunities for collaborative investigations by geochemists, geologists, ecologists, and population biologists in the study of the evolutionary processes that structured Earth-based life, especially in the microbial realm. The CCB is an object of investigation for the identification of biosignatures of past and present biota that can be used in our search for extraterrestrial life. In this review, we summarize CCB research efforts that began with microbial ecology and population biology projects and have since been expanded into broader efforts that involve biogeochemistry, comparative genomics, and assessments of biosignatures. We also propose that, in the future, the CCB is sanctioned as a ''Precambrian Park'' for astrobiology.

The Discovery of Stromatolites Developing at 3570 m above Sea Level in a High-Altitude Volcanic Lake Socompa, Argentinean Andes

“…Examples of well studied habitats include the hypersaline region of Hamelin Pool (HP), Western Australia [10], [11], hot springs such as Obsidian Pool (OP) in Yellowstone National Park [12], Shionoha (SHS), Japan [13], [14], or Frying Pan Lake (FPL), New Zealand [15], open marine waters of Exuma Sound (ES), Bahamas, [16], [17], or freshwater bodies at the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin (CCB), Mexico [18], [19], or Ruidera Pools (RP), Spain [20]. With the exception of OP, which lies about 2400 m above sea level (masl), a common characteristic of these habitats is their low to medium altitude (HP and ES: 0 m; SHS: 340 m; FPL: 460 m; RP and CC: around 800 m).…”

Response of a Stoichiometrically Imbalanced Ecosystem to Manipulation of Nutrient Supplies and Ratios

“…In fact, it is hypothesized that the high microbial biodiversity found in this basin is driven by P-limitation itself [19]. The near-pristine springs and ponds in this area are a major tourist attraction for the town of Cuatro Ciénegas but concerns about agricultural expansion in the region are growing, as this threatens the regional aquifer [20]. Thus, gaining a better understanding of nutrient impacts on the ecosystems of CCB is particularly important.…”

Mesocosms of Aquatic Bacterial Communities from the Cuatro Cienegas Basin (Mexico): A Tool to Test Bacterial Community Response to Environmental Stress

“…Microbial mats are the oldest ecosystems known to date and have proven to be successful ecological assemblages since they have survived billions of years of environmental change due to their stable but adaptable structural properties and their capabilities for biogeochemical transformations and energy flows [22,26,47]. Habitats that contain microbial mats provide windows to an understanding of how life persisted in the past and potentially how life will function in the future [56].…”