3rdBritan wrote:Eotenses wrote:There are perchlorates in the Martian soil that are toxic to most plants, animals, and even bacterial life-and also can be a very important source of oxygen in the future. Additionally many plants can survive and extract these perchlorates-however becoming infected in the process. There are also bacteria that can survive off of perchlorates, but I personally do not welcome the idea of having a handful of highly-evolved terran bacteria molding mars over.
In short, the soil is poisonous to most life and poses a threat to permanent habitation of the planet and terraforming efforts.
Bluegreen algea can survive but they purify it in their bodyapparently
Thing about that is how algae typically needs oxygen and water, neither of which Mars can permanently provide or retain for an extended period at its current state.