New BG Letter: Nitrous oxide (N₂O) synthesis by the freshwater cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa

13 February 2023

The authors show, for the first time, that pure cultures of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa can synthesize the potent greenhouse gas N₂O using nitrite as substrate. Their findings have broad environmental implications because M. aeruginosa is globally found in freshwater ecosystems and is often the dominant species found in algae blooms. Further research is now needed to determine the occurrence and significance of N₂O emissions from ecosystems rich with M. aeruginosa.

Contact: Maxence Plouviez (m.plouviez@massey.ac.nz)