Typology of cyanoprokaryotes habitats in Arctic ecosystems based on the analysis of the Svalbard archipelago flora

Abstract

This study proposes a framework for classifying the habitats of cyanoprokaryotes in Arctic regions, based on the European Nature Information System (EUNIS). Two major habitat groups are identified: freshwater and terrestrial. The latter is further subdivided into subaerophytic (those at the boundary between aquatic and aerophytic environments) and aerophytic (found on rocky substrates and soil surfaces). The variability of polar habitats can be represented along a moisture gradient, ranging from freshwater, through subaerophytic zones, to dry terrestrial environments. Differences in the frequency, amplitude, and regularity of habitat moisture levels lead to the differentiation of cyanoprokaryotes species composition. In the Svalbard Archipelago, four particular habitats support greater diversity and abundance of cyanoprokaryotes: 1) wet walls and rocks, 2) bare soils and biocrust communities, 3) warm, slow-flowing streams, and 4) specific over-moistened habitats – seepages.

Keywords

• cyanobacteria
• ecology
• functional groups
• ecotopes