In addition to the need for light, cyanobacteria also require moisture to fix nitrogen, as they are metabolically inactive during periods of desiccation. Furthermore, when light and moisture
are available, cyanobacterial nitrogen fixation is affected by temperature, usually occurring between 5 C and 30 C (Belnap, 2001a). It should also be noted that cyanobacteria are capable of
solubilising phosphate compounds, increasing the concentration of soil phosphorus and plant phosphorus uptake