What might have provided a longer-lasting refuge for subterranean Martian ecosystems?
Answer
Deep crustal protection or subsurface ice deposits
As Mars transitioned from a warmer, wetter state to its current cold, dry condition, any life that took hold would likely have been forced into subterranean refuge to survive the increasingly harsh surface conditions, including intense radiation. The deep crust provides physical shielding, while subsurface ice deposits offer a potential, albeit frozen, source of water. The combination of these factors—protection from surface hazards and access to necessary resources—suggests that if Martian life persisted, it would have been in these protected underground environments long after the surface became uninhabitable.
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