Planktic cyanophytes in marine environment

Abstract

Few major groups of cyanophytes contribute significantly to the productivity of oceanic oligotrophic ecosystem: unicellular Synechococcus spp., and filamentous nitrogen-fixing Trichodesmium and Richelia species occur as abundant populations in open seas and oceans. In addition, oceanic eutrophic waters support the development of massive summer-blooms of Nodularia, Aphanizomenon and Anabaena in the Baltic Sea. The importance of the planktic cyanophytes as primary producers and their contribution to the input of new fixed nitrogen in the euphotic zone is underlined.

Key Words:

• Cyanophytes
• cyanobacteria
• marine phytoplankton
• oceanic picoplankton
• primary productivity
• nitrogen-fixation