Diversity of the cyanobacterial microflora of the northern part of James Ross Island, NW Weddell Sea, Antarctica

The diversity and ecological distribution of cyanobacteria in the northern, deglaciated part of James Ross Island were studied during the Antarctic summer season 2005-2006. Seventy-five cyanobacterial morphotypes were observed in various habitats of this area. The identified cyanobacterial taxa belong to the characteristic and dominant types of coastal Antarctica, and majority of them appeared connected to special habitats and formed distinct populations and ecologically delimited communities. The results are compared and discussed with respect to phenotypically characterised cyanobacterial microflora of maritime Antarctica and to recent molecular analyses of cyanobacterial strains from different Antarctic regions. The existence of a specificity and characteristic composition of Antarctic cyanobacterial communities was demonstrated.