tintenstriche

English

Noun

tintenstriche (countable and uncountable, plural tintenstriche)

1. A biotic community formed by various species of cyanobacteria, lichens, and algae that stains rock faces with a black or blue color.
   • 1988, Elizabeth Stone O'Neill, Mountain Sage: The Life Story of Carl Sharsmith, Yosemite Ranger/naturalist:

     Carl decided to investigate the Tintenstriche or black streaks coursing down the granite walls of the valley.

   • 2007, B.A. Whitton, editor, The Ecology of Cyanobacteria: Their Diversity in Time and Space:

     On a Scytonemu-dominated xeric tintenstriche in northern England, the heterocyst density in the trichomes was found to be significantly higher than on an adjacent mesic tintenstriche and in nearby streams.

   • 2012, S. Porembski, Inselbergs: Biotic Diversity of Isolated Rock Outcrops in Tropical and Temperate Regions:

     Many species creating these Tintenstriche can be found in cyanobacteria-dominated biofilms all over the world.

   • 2012, Brian A. Whitton, Ecology of Cyanobacteria II: Their Diversity in Space and Time:

     At Malham Cove, England, where coccoid cyanobacteria formed dark tintenstriche on an 80-m high south-facing limestone cliff rarely exposed to water, the effect was studied (Pentecost 1982) of cleaning a streak consisting of Chlorogloea microcystoides and Gloeocapsa spp.