A geothermal‐linked biological oasis in Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

A geothermal-linked biological oasis has been discovered on the floor of Yellowstone Lake, characterized by an aquatic moss colony (Fontinalis) thriving at temperatures exceeding known maxima for such plants. This unique ecosystem is sustained by supersaturated CO₂ vent waters, likely enabling a highly elevated CO₂ compensation point. The moss supports a localized food chain, including crustaceans (Hyalella and Gammarus), a segmented worm (Lumbriculidae), and a flatworm tentatively identified as Polycelis, analogous to deep marine hydrothermal vent ecosystems. The study employed geochemical analysis and biological sampling to characterize this novel environment, revealing its potential for supporting significant biodiversity despite extreme conditions.

LOVALVO, D., CLINGENPEEL, S. R., MCGINNIS, S., MACUR, R. E., VARLEY, J. D., INSKEEP, W. P., GLIME, J., NEALSON, K., & MCDERMOTT, T. R. (2010). A geothermal‐linked biological oasis in Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Geobiology, 8(4), 327–336. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1472-4669.2010.00244.x