Adaptations and Challenges of Polar Marine Primary Producers

Dear colleagues,

Phototrophic aquatic primary producers (i.e., micro- and macro-algae, cyanobacteria) play a key role in the functioning of marine and freshwater ecosystems. In polar regions, these organisms are exposed to extreme environmental conditions, and only little is known about the exceptional biological adaptations which allow their survival.

Because high latitude ecosystems are deeply impacted by ongoing climate change, it is crucial to improve our understanding of how the special physiology and metabolism of polar primary producers may support their response to a rapidly changing environment.

Furthermore, there has been growing interest in using algae and cyanobacteria strains adapted to harsh polar conditions for their potential in providing high biomass yields for ‘blue biotechnology’ approaches, especially in Nordic countries.

This Special Issue will consider original research on primary producers from marine habitats (open ocean, coastal substrates, sea-ice, sub-ice, marginal ice-zone, etc.) in polar regions, including the Arctic, Antarctic and sub-polar ecosystems. Research from both laboratory and field, and experimental as well as monitoring studies will be accepted.

We welcome research, review, and opinion papers addressing research themes including, but not limited to, the following questions:

• How do polar primary producers adapt to their extreme environments (including response to macro- and micro-nutrient availability, light, temperature, salinity, etc.)?
• How will polar primary producers respond to climate change impacts such as increases in temperature, ocean acidification, water column stratification, change in the underwater light climate, etc.?
• How can their specific adaptation abilities be used for biotechnology purposes such as biofuel, production of bioactive and high-value molecules, wastewater bioremediation, etc.?

We look forward to receiving your contributions to this Special Issue.

Dr. Johann Lavaud
Dr. Marina Cvetkovska
Dr. Nina Schuback
Guest Editors

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• Algae
• Biotechnology
• Cyanobacteria
• Climate change
• Cold adaptation
• Environmental stress
• Extreme environments
• Phytoplankton
• Polar aquatic systems
• Primary producer