ISTANBUL MEDENIYET UNIVERSITY
IMUASYA
Antartic Microalgae Research
Antarctic microalgae
Being the primary producers of the food chain, microalgae are the special community of eukaryotic photoautotrophs that are responsible for the production of the majority of the atmospheric oxygen which enriches their biodiversity through the course of evolution. They adapt well to a wide range of habitats of oceans, seas, rivers, fresh ad alkaline waters, humid rocks, caves, sands, deserts, brackish waters, snows, and glaciers. Snow microalgae are a group of extremophile organisms that represent several psychrophilic and psychrotolerant microalgae that can make algal blooms to cover thousands of square meters in coastal snowfields of the Antarctic peninsula. The Project IMU-ASYA focuses on the understanding of the distribution and composition of the snow microalgae of Dismal Island (68°05′S-68°51′W) and Horseshoe island (67°51′S-67°12′W) where the Turkish research base is positioned.
Anatolian microalgae
The ARAS collection consists of microalgae and cyanobacteria isolates obtained from different regions of Türkiye, including lakes, rivers, agricultural soils, and terrestrial habitats. Strains collected from the Marmara, Aegean, Central Anatolia, Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions represent valuable biotechnological resources thanks to their strong adaptation to local ecosystems. These isolates hold great potential for applications in agriculture, food, cosmetics, and environmental technologies. At the same time, the ARAS collection contributes to the preservation of Türkiye’s biodiversity and supports sustainable production within a circular economy approach.