Impact-generated endolithic habitat within crystalline rocks of the haughton impact structure, Devon Island, Canada

Abstract The colonization of rocks by endolithic communities is an advantageous trait, especially in environments such as hot or cold deserts, where large temperature ranges, low water availability, and high-intensity ultraviolet radiation pose a significant challenge to survival and growth. On Mars, similar conditions (albeit more extreme) prevail. In these environments, meteorite impact structures could provide refuge for endolithic organisms. Though initially detrimental to biology, an impact event into a rocky body can favorably change the availability and habitability of a substrate for endolithic organisms, which are then able to (re)colonize microfractures and pore spaces created during the impact. Here, we show how shocked gneisses from the Haughton impact structure, Devon Island, Canada, offer significant refuge for endolithic communities. A total of 28 gneiss samples representing a range of shock states were analyzed, collected from in situ, stable field locations. For each sample, the top centi...