How do plants and animals survive in hypersaline lagoons?

Organisms in hypersaline lagoons survive through specialized physiological and behavioral adaptations that allow them to manage high salt concentrations and osmotic stress.12

Physiological Adaptations

• Osmoregulation: Many organisms are osmoregulators, actively controlling their internal salt concentrations to remain constant despite external fluctuations. This process often involves using energy to transport inorganic ions, such as sodium and chloride, across cell membranes.1
• Halophilic Adaptations: Certain microorganisms, known as halophiles, have evolved to grow optimally in high-salt environments. Extreme halophiles, such as Halobacterium, require high salinity to maintain their cellular integrity and will lyse if salt levels drop.34
• Halophytic Plants: Plants in these environments are often halophytic, meaning they are specifically adapted to saline habitats. Some, like glassworts, survive by accumulating salts within their stems and leaves.5

Behavioral and Structural Strategies

• Water Management: To combat the constant loss of water to the surrounding hypersaline environment, some animals have evolved mechanisms to retain fluids or drink surrounding water and excrete excess salt.1
• Oxygen Access: In the limited oxygen conditions often found in saline muds or marshes, invertebrates may use specialized structures, such as the telescoping breathing tubes of rat-tailed maggots, to reach the surface for air.5