ALKALIPHILIC CYANOBACTERIA FROM SODA LAKES OF TUVA AND THEIR ECOPHYSIOLOGY

Soda lakes in the Ulug-Khem and Ubsu-Nur hollows, Tuva, were shown to be characterized by a wide diversity of alkaliphilic cyanobacteria (16 genera and 34 species were found). In contrast to Lake Magadi, a clas sic arid zone soda lake, in the studied lakes of the cryoarid zone, fi lamentous benthic forms were predominant among cyanobacteria Ecophysio logy of their prevailing representatives was studied. The same species isolated from Magadi and Tuva samples were shown to differ in their p hysiological characteristics, which are not thus strictly determined b y total salinity.