Chapter 6 - Microbial ecology of the Namib Desert

Abstract

In this book chapter, we focus on the research performed to date on the microbiology and microbial ecology of the Namib Desert, one of the oldest hyperarid deserts on Earth. Microbial communities consist of complex assemblages of interacting microorganisms, ranging from viruses to small eukaryotes (such as nematodes and springtails) and these microbial community members have all been studied, to a certain extent, in the Namib Desert. It is worth noting that most of the microbial ecology research performed in the Namib Desert has taken place in the central Namib Desert, in the vicinity of the Gobabeb Research and Training Center (http://www.gobabebtrc.org/). Nevertheless, in this chapter, we have attempted to review all the scientific literature available on the microbiology and microbial ecology of the Namib Desert.