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Capsular Cryptococcus spp. dominate in desert soils. The most extreme conditions are encountered by Cryptococcus vishniacii (a memorial to Dr. Wolf Vladimir Vishniac) which dominates in the arid highlands of the Ross desert of Antarctica by virtue of its ability to grow at low temperatures, minimal nutritional requirements, tolerance of low population densities, and survival skills, although this species is neither osmo-nor halotolerant, characters which are associated with higher energy requirements.