vs Polar bear

Nitrosotalea devanaterra compared with Ursus maritimus

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while Polar bear is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Polar bear
Kingdom	Archaea (Archaea)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Thermoproteota (Thermoproteota)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Nitrososphaeria (Nitrososphaeria)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Nitrososphaerales (Nitrososphaerales)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Nitrosopumilaceae	Ursidae (Bears)
Genus	Nitrosotalea	Ursus (Bears)
Species	Nitrosotalea devanaterra	Ursus maritimus

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Polar bear

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~26.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		Polar bear
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	25 years
Average Length	—	2.4 m
Average Weight	—	450.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Polar bear

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Norway. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Nitrosotalea devanaterra is a chemolithoautotrophic archaeon in the phylum Thaumarchaeota, notable for being the first confirmed ammonia-oxidizing archaeon that thrives under acidic conditions. It was isolated from acidic agricultural soil and plays a significant role in nitrogen cycling in low-pH environments where other nitrifying organisms cannot function. Its discovery expanded understanding of how the global nitrogen cycle operates in acidic ecosystems.

Polar bear

The largest land carnivore on Earth, polar bears can exceed 700 kg and are found across Arctic sea ice from Canada to Russia. Highly specialized marine mammals that rely on sea ice to hunt ringed and bearded seals. Excellent swimmers capable of covering vast distances in open water. Listed as Vulnerable, with populations under severe pressure from rapid Arctic sea ice loss due to climate change.