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Salar de Atacama Lithium Brine Community

Ecological State STABLE
Environment hypersaline brine
ENVO:00002019
Source File Salar_Atacama_Lithium_Brine_Community.yaml

A halophilic archaeal-bacterial consortium from the world's largest lithium reserve in the Salar de Atacama, Chile. This community thrives in extreme hypersaline brines with lithium concentrations up to 1,500 ppm (1.5 g/L) and total salinity ranging from 34.7% (natural brine) to 55.6% (concentrated brine during industrial processing). The community is strongly dominated by halophilic archaea of the family Halobacteriaceae, with natural brines showing higher archaeal diversity (Halovenus 26.8%, Natronomonas 20.1%, Haloarcula 14%, Halobacterium 13%) compared to concentrated brines where Halovenus becomes even more dominant (41%). Bacterial diversity is phylogenetically richer in concentrated brines, with Rhodothermaceae (represented solely by Salinibacter, 56% in natural brine) being the most abundant bacterial family. The community demonstrates remarkable lithium tolerance and adaptation to chaotropic stress, making it highly relevant for understanding microbial ecology in extreme saline environments and potential biotechnological applications in lithium extraction and critical mineral bioprocessing. Lithium acts as a modulator of microbial richness and diversity, with bacterial diversity increasing and archaeal diversity decreasing as lithium concentration rises during industrial processing.

Taxonomy

Taxon Ontology ID Functional Roles Abundance
Halovenus NCBITaxon:1377992
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
DOMINANT
Natronomonas NCBITaxon:63743
PRIMARY_DEGRADER CROSS_FEEDER
ABUNDANT
Haloarcula NCBITaxon:2237
PRIMARY_DEGRADER SECONDARY_FERMENTER
ABUNDANT
Halobacterium NCBITaxon:2239
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
ABUNDANT
Salinibacter NCBITaxon:146918
PRIMARY_DEGRADER CROSS_FEEDER
DOMINANT
Staphylococcaceae members NCBITaxon:90964
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
ABUNDANT

Ecological Interactions

Lithium Tolerance and Osmoadaptation

COMMENSALISM

Metabolites: lithium (CHEBI:49713), potassium(1+) (CHEBI:29103), sodium chloride (CHEBI:26710)

Biological Processes:

Downstream Effects:
→ Organic Matter Degradation in Hypersaline Brine

Evidence

  • doi:10.1029/2018JG004621 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "Further, our results showed that Bacteria were phylogenetically more diverse and rich in the concentrated brine, while archaeal diversity was maximized in the natural brine"
  • doi:10.1029/2018JG004621 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "Bacteria were phylogenetically more diverse and rich in the concentrated brine, while archaeal diversity was maximized in the natural brine"

Organic Matter Degradation in Hypersaline Brine

CROSS_FEEDING

Source Taxon: Halovenus

Metabolites: organic molecular entity (CHEBI:50860)

Biological Processes:

Downstream Effects:
→ Nutrient Remineralization in Lithium Brine

Evidence

  • doi:10.1029/2018JG004621 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "Brines only supported a single archaeal family (Halobacteriaceae): natural brines included the archaeal genera Halovenus , Natronomonas , Haloarcula , and Halobacterium"

Nutrient Remineralization in Lithium Brine

MUTUALISM

Metabolites: inorganic nutrient (CHEBI:33284)

Biological Processes:

Evidence

  • doi:10.1029/2018JG004621 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "The concentrated lithium brines of the Salar de Atacama represent one of the most saline environments described to date (dominated by LiCl)"

Bacteriorhodopsin-Mediated Phototrophy

COMMENSALISM

Source Taxon: Halobacterium

Metabolites: photon (CHEBI:30212), ATP (CHEBI:15422)

Biological Processes:

Evidence

  • doi:10.1029/2018JG004621 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "The concentrated lithium brines of the Salar de Atacama represent one of the most saline environments described to date (dominated by LiCl)"

Environmental Factors

Factor Value Unit
Lithium Concentration 1,500 mg/L
Total Salinity 34.7-55.6 % (w/v)
Temperature 37 °C
pH 5-6 pH units
Altitude and Solar Radiation 2,300 m above sea level
Salar Size and Lithium Reserve Status 3,000 km²