Last updated: December 9, 2025
Place
Stop 7: Electric Spring
NPS
The spring to your left is called Electric Spring. It is warm – around 94 degrees, but with an acidity rivaling that of battery acid.
Most plants have a difficult time growing in the conditions created by the acidic water and soil. You may have noticed that some springs have slimy looking growths in them or around their edges or have unusual colors. The slimy growths are composed of bacteria and algae that scientists call “extremophiles”. It is just what it sounds like – extremophile lifeforms live in extreme conditions such as low pH and high temperature. Sometimes they can be colorful and can tell us information about the conditions they are growing in.
Most plants have a difficult time growing in the conditions created by the acidic water and soil. You may have noticed that some springs have slimy looking growths in them or around their edges or have unusual colors. The slimy growths are composed of bacteria and algae that scientists call “extremophiles”. It is just what it sounds like – extremophile lifeforms live in extreme conditions such as low pH and high temperature. Sometimes they can be colorful and can tell us information about the conditions they are growing in.
El manantial a su izquierda se llama Electric Spring. Es cálido, alrededor de 94 grados, pero con una acidez que rivaliza con la del ácido de las baterías.
A la mayoría de las plantas les cuesta crecer en las condiciones que crean el agua y el suelo ácidos. Quizá haya notado que algunos manantiales tienen crecimientos de aspecto viscoso en su interior o alrededor de sus bordes, o que tienen colores inusuales. Los crecimientos viscosos están compuestos por bacterias y algas que los científicos denominan «extremófilos». Son exactamente lo que su nombre indica: formas de vida extremófilas que viven en condiciones extremas, como un pH bajo y una temperatura alta. A veces pueden ser coloridas y nos proporcionan información sobre las condiciones en las que crecen.