Modelling extreme desiccation tolerance in a marine tardigrade

TY - JOUR

T1 - Modelling extreme desiccation tolerance in a marine tardigrade

AU - Sørensen-Hygum, Thomas Lunde

AU - Stuart, Robyn Margaret

AU - Jørgensen, Aslak

AU - Møbjerg, Nadja

PY - 2018/12/1

Y1 - 2018/12/1

N2 - It has recently been argued that the enigmatic tardigrades (water bears) will endure until the sun dies, surviving any astrophysical calamities in Earth’s oceans. Yet, our knowledge of stress tolerance among marine tardigrade species is very limited and most investigations revolve around species living in moist habitats on land. Here, we investigate desiccation tolerance in the cosmopolitan marine tidal tardigrade, Echiniscoides sigismundi, providing the first thorough analysis on recovery upon desiccation from seawater. We test the influence on survival of desiccation surface, time spent desiccated (up to 1 year) and initial water volume. We propose analysis methods for survival estimates, which can be used as a future platform for evaluating and analysing recovery rates in organisms subjected to extreme stress. Our data reveal that marine tidal tardigrades tolerate extremely rapid and extended periods of desiccation from seawater supporting the argument that these animals are among the toughest organisms on Earth.

AB - It has recently been argued that the enigmatic tardigrades (water bears) will endure until the sun dies, surviving any astrophysical calamities in Earth’s oceans. Yet, our knowledge of stress tolerance among marine tardigrade species is very limited and most investigations revolve around species living in moist habitats on land. Here, we investigate desiccation tolerance in the cosmopolitan marine tidal tardigrade, Echiniscoides sigismundi, providing the first thorough analysis on recovery upon desiccation from seawater. We test the influence on survival of desiccation surface, time spent desiccated (up to 1 year) and initial water volume. We propose analysis methods for survival estimates, which can be used as a future platform for evaluating and analysing recovery rates in organisms subjected to extreme stress. Our data reveal that marine tidal tardigrades tolerate extremely rapid and extended periods of desiccation from seawater supporting the argument that these animals are among the toughest organisms on Earth.

U2 - 10.1038/s41598-018-29824-6

DO - 10.1038/s41598-018-29824-6

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 30065347

SN - 2045-2322

VL - 8

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

M1 - 11495

ER -