Algae and extreme environments - ecology and physiology

All photoautotrophic prokaryotes have evolved from the group Eubacteria. From fossil remains in the form of stromatolites, it has been possible to date the first prokaryotic oxyphototrophic algae (Cyanobacteria) back to almost 3,450 million years. Evolution of Eukaryotic Algae did not occur until about 700-800 million years ago. The endosymbiotic hypothesis is the most accepted theory for the origin of eukaryotic organells. Oxyphototrophic microorganisms (cyanobacteria and algae) are ubiquitous and, because of their evolutionary antiquity, are widely adapted to all the extremes related with the many changes in geological time. During the last ten years special attention has been given to study of cyanobacteria and algae in environment with extreme environment. The methodology has been steadily developing for biological-taxonomical and ecological-physiological studies