Dealing with the cold: Shedding light on phototrophic life in the polar regions

Abstract

Photoautotrophic organisms face extreme conditions in the Polar Regions including permanently low temperatures, freezing, salinity and low nutrient. Certain microalgae and cyanobacteria are able to withstand these conditions and adaptation mechanisms associated with photophysiology play an important part in overcoming challenges created by variation in irradiance under low temperatures.

Keywords: Algae; Cold adaptation; Cyanobacteria; Photostasis; Photosynthesis; Plants.