Abstract: The diversity of halophilic microorganisms from two different hypersaline environments was analyzed and compared by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based molecular technique and cultivation approaches. The samples were collected from Aibi Lake located in Zhungeer Basin and Yiwu Lake in Tianshan Basin, Xinjiang, respectively. Under aerobic culture conditions, novel halophiles were isolated. 16S rRNA gene sequences of 65 isolates were amplified and determined. The results revealed that all sequences belonged to six genera grouped within the Halobacteriaceae. Most of the 16S rRNA gene sequences related to the genera Haloterrigena and Natrinema were detected in Aibi Lake samples. In contrast, sequences related to the genera Haloarcula and Halorubrum were obtained from Yiwu Lake samples. In addition, the isolates’ diversities were analyzed and compared using different diversity indices, richness indices, evenness indices, and species abundance models. There were certain correlations among these indices, and they indicated that halophilic archaea diversity of Aibi Lake is higher than that of Yiwu Lake. The discovery of novel species, in a relatively small number of sites from two representative salt lakes, indicated that there are many microbial resources in Xinjiang region that should be protected and utilized.

Key words: Artemisia ordosica, Mu Us Sandland, Tengger Desert, spore density, importance value