Nostoc

Nostoc commune

Nostoc is a genus of cyanobacteria that form spherical or skin-like colonies of long, unbranched cell cords in a gelatinous sheath. They contain in the cytoplasm green dyes and carry out photosynthesis. Specialized heterocysts within the cell chains are responsible for nitrogen fixation. Nostoc was chosen as the " germ of the Year 2014".

Occurrence

There are Nostoc species that live in the aquatic environment, for example, the share of freshwater ponds and springs (see eg pond plum). Very rarely, they also occur in salt water. Nostoc colonies, however, are also to be found outside of waters, including on trails and rocks. In a dry state, the colonies are paper- thin. By water supply, such as after a rain, they swell into a gelatinous mass.

Many Nostoc species live in symbiosis with plants or fungi. They are, for example as algal partner in lichens. Furthermore, they can live within the Wasserfarns Azolla and hornworts. different Nostoc strains live in symbiosis with representatives of the tropical plant genus Gunnera. The symbiosis partners benefit from the ability of cyanobacteria to reduce atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia.

System

Nostoc belongs to the family of Nostocaceae; Here is a selection of some species:

Nostoc azollae
Nostoc caeruleum
Nostoc carneum
Nostoc comminutum
Nostoc commune
Nostoc ellipsosporum
Nostoc flagelliforme
Nostoc linckia
Nostoc longstaffi
Nostoc microscopicum
Nostoc muscorum
Nostoc paludosum
Nostoc pruniforme - Pond Plum
Nostoc punctiforme
Nostoc sphaericum
Nostoc spongiaeforme
Nostoc verrucosum
Nostoc zetterstedtii

Nostoc sp.

Nostoc azollae, hyphae

Nostoc flagelliforme ( "fat choy " )

Nostoc flagelliforme, hyphae

Ammonium

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