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Nostoc: noun; a microorganism composed of beaded filaments which aggregate to form a gelatinous mass, growing in water and damp places and able to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere (Oxford Dictionary).
According to my totally unscientific observations, the organism that has benefitted most from this year’s almost constant wet and relatively mild weather is the cyanobacterium, Nostoc. I’ve been seeing huge viscous masses of it wherever I go, especially on concrete and gravel pathways, on steps, in gutters, wherever the atmosphere is damp, the environment water-logged.
You can read more about Nostoc in my April 2018 blog ‘Gloop’.
Excellent news. Thanks for letting us know.
I am such a fan of Nostoc!
Cyanobacteria go way back towards the origins of life, as I’m sure you know…
It was they who pumped out the first decent amount of oxygen into Earth’s atmosphere… actually too much oxygen, but it evened out in the end.
I never fail to thank their descendants when I see ‘em.
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PS: I saw a YouTube vid the other day in which a gardening ‘expert’ referred to Nostoc as a slime mould and suggested antifungals to get it off your driveway or lawn.
Harumph.
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One of the ‘neat and tidy’ brigade — not my favourite people!
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I didn’t know that information, Andy, so thanks for sharing. It certainly has a primeval look to it.
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