----------------------------------------------------------------------
Physical Maximum Organism Activity
factors
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Temperature 104° C (1000 _Desulfovibrio Grows and reduces
atm) desulfuricans_ sulfate
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Magnetism 167 000 _Neurospora_ 1 hr—no effect,
gauss _Arbacia_ _Arbacia_
_Drosophila_ development delayed
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gravity 400 000 g _Ascaris_ eggs 1 hr—eggs hatch, 40
110 000 g _Escherichia coli_ days’ growth
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pressure 1400 atm Marine organisms Growth
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Microwave 2450 Mc/sec _Drosophila_ 68 hr, growth not
0.3 to 1 affected
W/cm²
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Visible 50 000 ft-c _Chlorella_, Seconds,
17 000 ft-c higher plants recurrently
continuous
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ultraviolet 10⁸ erg/cm², Bean embryos Suppressed growth
2537 Å
----------------------------------------------------------------------
X-ray 2×10⁶ rad Bacteria Growth
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gamma ray 2.45×10⁶ rad _Microcoleus_ Continued growth
_Phormidium_
_Synechococcus_
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Acoustic 140 db or Man Threshold of pain
6500
dyne/cm² at
0.02 to 4.8
kcs/sec
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Table IV.—_Extreme Low and High Temperature Effects Permitting
Life Processes_
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Minimum Organism Activity or condition
temperature,
°C
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-11 Bacteria Growth (on fish)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-12 Bacteria Growth
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-12 Molds Growth
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-15 _Pyramidomonas_ Swimming
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-15 _Dunaliella salina_ Swimming
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-18 Mold Growth
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-18 Yeast Growth
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-18 _Aspergillus Growth (in glycerol)
glaucus_
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-18 to -20 Mold Growth (in fruit juice)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-18 to -20 _Pseudomonads_ Growth (in fruit juice)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-20 Bacteria Growth
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-20 Bacteria Growth
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-20 Bacteria Luminescence development
accelerated
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-20 to -24 Insect eggs
(diapause)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-30 Algae Photosynthesis
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-30 Pink yeast Growth (on oysters)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-30 Lichens Photosynthesis
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-20 to -40 Lichens and conifers Photosynthesis
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-44 Mold spores Sporulation and germination
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Table IV.—_Extreme Low and High Temperature Effects Permitting
Life Processes_
------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum Organism Activity or condition
temperature,
°C
------------------------------------------------------------------
73 Thermophilic organisms Growth (P³² metabolism)
------------------------------------------------------------------
73 _Phormidium_ (alga) Acclimatized
------------------------------------------------------------------
70 to 73 _Bacillus calidus_ Growth and spore
germination
------------------------------------------------------------------
70 to 74 _Bacillus cylindricus_ Growth and spore
germination
------------------------------------------------------------------
70 to 75 _Bacillus tostatus_ Growth and spore
germination
------------------------------------------------------------------
80 _Bacillus Cultured in laboratory
stearothermophilus_
------------------------------------------------------------------
83 Sulfate-reducing Found in a well
bacteria
------------------------------------------------------------------
89 Sulfate-reducing Found in oil waters
bacteria
------------------------------------------------------------------
65 to 85 Sulfate-reducing Cultured in laboratory
bacteria
------------------------------------------------------------------
89 Micro-organisms Found in hot springs
------------------------------------------------------------------
95 _Bacillus coagulans_ In 80 min. sporulation
activation
------------------------------------------------------------------
110 _Bacillus coagulans_ In 6 min, sporulation
activation
------------------------------------------------------------------
104 _Desulfovibrio Grow and reduce sulfate
desulfuricans_ at 1000 atm
------------------------------------------------------------------