The Ethiopian soda lakes- one of the most productive natural habitats

Dr. Amare Gessesse, Department of Biology, University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, will talk about his research in the Ethiopian alkaline soda lakes.

The Ethiopian alkaline soda lakes are unique ecosystems having the highest primary productivity ever known for a natural habitat. Because of their high primary productivity, high pH, and low to high salinity, they are expected so support a large diversity of (halo) alkaliphilic microorganisms. Although this microbial genetic resource has enormous potential for biotechnological applications, in recent years it is under danger of extinction due to changes in the chemistry of lakes arising mainly from human activities.