Vegetative survival of Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Cyanobacteria) at low temperature and low light

Invasive neophytic species such as Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii often pose a problem in many regions world-wide. The mechanisms of expansion are not fully understood. Occurrence and survival of the species at unusual ambient conditions are re-analysed from an earlier study to test the ability to survive in the vegetative form at water temperatures below 12A degrees C. Results indicate that vegetative existence at low temperatures and light in the two periods analysed benefited from weather conditions exceeding long-term average climatic records. Winter survival enables the species to re-establish a population when conditions become favourable again. Such metabolic adaptations will allow the species to expand to and thrive in novel environments particularly if weather conditions due to climate warming change.