Meromictic lake in Antarctica
Organic Lake is a lake in theVestfold Hills in easternAntarctica . It was formed 6,000 years ago when sea levels were higher; it is isolated, rather shallow 7.5 metres (25 ft),meromictic , a few hundred meters in diameter and has extremely salty water. It has the highest recorded concentration ofdimethyl sulfide in any natural body of water.[ 1] [ 2]
In 2011, anew species ofvirophage (asatellite virus that impairs the ability of its co-infective host virus to replicate) was discovered in Organic Lake, theOrganic Lake virophage . It is a parasite of 'Organic Lakephycodnavirus ',[ 1] nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDV), but in fact may rather be a member of an extended familyMimiviridae (akaMegaviridae ) than of the family Phycodnaviridae.[ 3] [ 4] [ 5] [ 6]
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