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Story: Life in hot springs

Tokaanu geyser surrounded by bacteria

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Tokaanu geyser surrounded by bacteria

This geyser at Tokaanu shows how the growth of thermophilic organisms is dependent on temperature. The bright orange and green patches are cyanobacteria living in the splash zone and outflow of the geyser. The orange cyanobacteria grow best in a ring around the geyser, while the green cyanobacteria grow in the much cooler outflow.

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GNS Science, Extremophile Photo Collection

Reference: DCP_0661

by Duncan Graham

Permission of GNS Science must be obtained before any use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Bruce Mountain, Life in hot springs – Thermophiles, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/6460/tokaanu-geyser-surrounded-by-bacteria (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Bruce Mountain, published 2 March 2009.