Resource Detailed View

Responsible Thematic Node: Interiors & Surfaces

Short Name: Rio Tinto field site

Brief description: TNA1: Acidic ecosystem, test site for extreme environmental conditions

URL: http://www.isa.au.dk/networks/euroPlanet/facilities/tna1/RioTinto.html

Type: CONTACT/Facility

English Language: YES

Restricted access: NO

Comment on the access:
For visiting of the facility, contact
Felipe Gómez Gómez
Extremophiles Laboratory
Carretera de Ajalvir,
Km 4 Torrejón de Ardoz
Madrid, Spain
Email: gomezgf@inta.es
Phone 00 34 91 520 6461
Fax 00 34 91 520 1074

Longer description:
The Tinto River (Iberian Pyritic Belt) is an unusual acidic ecosystem (100 km long, mean pH 2.3) containing a high concentration of heavy metals (Fe, Cu, Zn, As and Cr) and an unexpected level of microbial diversity (Bacteria, Archaea and Eukaryotes). We postulate that the Tinto River operates as a Gaian system in which the (extreme) environmental conditions are generated and regulated by the biological components of the ecosystem. This place has been used for space missions instrument testing in several projects.

Associated bibliographic resource 1: The Tinto River: a Gaian extreme environment. F. Gómez et.al.,

EPN location (lab or institute): INTA-CAB

Contributor: Schmidt

Last updater: Tirsch

Responsible: Gómez Gómez

Other Contact (name): Mari Paz Blanco

Other Contact (email): blancotp@inta.es

This is a copy (not an original): NO

Keywords (4):

Science Cases (2):

Scientific themes (1):