[Rockhounds] Halite losing fluorescence

[Axel Emmermann]

> 
> Under the influence of light these Haloarchaea become dormant and the
> halite loses its colour.
> Maybe its fluorescence as well.

[Axel] Hilmar, I've never been at Searles Lake but from the images I've seen
I would say that this is pretty much a "desert-like" environment.
Light is abundant so the haloarchaea loosing color as a result of it would
appear strange since light belongs to their natural habitat.
The pink color would be the result of a self-protection mechanism
(rhodopsine-independent photorepellant ;-))) 
The organism probably absorbs the shortest wavelengths (from UV to green)
for energy or protection and thus reflects pink light (or reddish).

 Extracting the organism from the wet conditions (the brine) in which it
thrives is probably more lethal than shining light on them.
At least, that's my two cents ;-)))

Axel