Decomposing leaf, SEM

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Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a fallen leaf (dark brown) from the Northern Black Forest, Germany. It is covered with the hyphae (string-like) of different fungi. There are also some bacteria (orange). Fungi are the first organisms to decompose wood because they can split and utilise lignin, a complex compound in the woody cell walls of plants. Together with bacteria and microscopic animals, they form humus from organic waste. Magnification: x1300 when printed at 15cm wide.

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Size: 6400px × 5523px
Location:
Photo credit: © EYE OF SCIENCE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, bacteria, bacterial, biodiversity, biological, biology, black, colored, coloured, debris, decomposing, decomposition, electron, false-colored, false-coloured, forest, fungal, fungi, fungus, humus, hypha, hyphae, leaf, micro-organism, microbiological, microbiology, micrograph, microorganism, microorganisms, microscopy, mycological, mycology, scanning, sem, soil, woody