This discussion on Antarctic microbiology considers the suitabiilty of Antarctica as a Mars model, man’s impact on formerly unperturbed areas of the Antarctic, the possibilitiy of detecting life on Mars and the related quarantine problems, and Mars simulation and containment studies, comparison of Antarctica with Mars as a prospective biome, especially in regard to mean annual temperature of the poles and equator shows the dry valleys of south Victoria Land to be the most Mars-like geographical areas of the Antarctic. The population density, abundance, diversity, complexity, and size of Antarctic life forms varies with the degree of favorability of such environmental factors as climate and micro-climate, topography, edaphology, and lower Antarctic latitudes and elecations. The impact of man’s activities in Antarctica and the imporation and spread of exogenious of contaminating species from other biomes is becoming increasingly noticeable. A list of moulds and yeasts recovered in disturbed and undisturbed Antarctic soils is given. Recent discovery of viable life forms in Antarctic permafrost and the recovery of micro-organisms from such extreme environments as the salt ponds should be considered in regard to Mars studies.