Nematodes are among the most abundant animals on Earth, yet much remains unknown about how these roundworms adapt to extreme environments.
Michael Werner, assistant professor of biology at the University of Utah, discusses new research uncovering nematodes living inside microbialites in the Great Salt Lake — bacteria-built rock structures that resemble some of the oldest life forms on Earth.
Once widespread, microbialites are now rare, making the Great Salt Lake a unique window into ancient ecosystems and life in extreme conditions. Werner explores how these microbialites support the lake’s food web in the absence of plant life and what role nematodes may play in this fragile system. He also highlights a collaborative, international research effort that grew from a pandemic-era side project into a cross-disciplinary study involving undergraduate researchers.
