Highlights

• This paper identifies a significant lack of integration and consistency in habitability models used by astrobiologists compared to those used by ecologists.
• It proposes adopting ecological habitability standards to improve the characterization of extraterrestrial environments and prioritize astrobiological targets.
• The research suggests that standardized habitability models could help establish correlations between habitability states and biosignatures, enhancing the search for life in the universe.

Summary

This research explores the use of Habitability Suitability Models (HSMs) developed in ecology to assess the distribution of life on Earth. It discusses their potential application in astrobiology for studying other planetary environments. Ecologists have utilized HSMs extensively to analyze environmental suitability for supporting life by integrating diverse ecological and biological data.

In contrast, astrobiology needs standardized habitability models, leading to consistent approaches. The paper advocates for integrating ecological HSMs into astrobiology to harmonize the study of potentially habitable environments beyond Earth. This integration would enhance the characterization of these environments, improve targeting for astrobiological studies, and deepen our understanding of the links between habitability and biosignatures.

The paper highlights the effectiveness of HSMs in understanding Earth’s environments and recommends adapting these models for astrobiology. By employing ecological methodologies, astrobiology can leverage decades of research to refine predictions about extraterrestrial life-supporting conditions and develop unified research standards.

Méndez, A., Rivera-Valentín, E. G., Schulze-Makuch, D., Filiberto, J., Ramírez, R. M., Wood, T. E., … Simões, M. F., … & Haqq-Misra, J. (2021). Habitability models for astrobiology. Astrobiology, 21(8), 1017-1027, doi: 10.1089/ast.2020.2342.