New cyanobacterial species in the flora of the Polar Urals

Abstract

The present study provides new results of an inventory of cyanobacterial species from the North part of the Polar Urals Mountains. This territory is characterized as a unique geographical position in the transition between sub-Arctic and Low-Arctic zone and heterogeneous natural conditions. In 2019 expedition in a total of 52 localities were studied, 232 samples collected. The species identification was based on morphological features only. As a result, twenty-three species are reported for the Polar Urals flora for the first time. Feasibly, unexplored biodiversity of the terrestrial cyanobacteria of this territory is very high. This is due to both the presence of a large number of montane habitat types and the geological diversity of rock.