Moss and pretty much all bodies of water are teeming with microscopic life even when they freeze in the winter. . Every piece of moss is like a miniature forest filled with all sorts of microscopic creatures. When it is cold, the moss dwelling microorganisms enter into a state of 'suspended animation' where their metabolism slows down dramatically. When conditions improve and water is available (rain appears), the microorganisms come back to life again. This is why before I looked at the organisms that live in the piece of moss, I hydrated the moss (for about 24 hours). By letting the moss hydrate, I allowed the microorganisms that were in 'suspended animation' to come back to life and this way I was able to observe them. . Also, next time you look at a frozen pond or at a frozen lake, take a moment to think and appreciate the amazing world of microorganisms that live under that layer of ice. Although they are small and often overlooked, microscopic organisms are an essential part of all the ecosystems and deserve our appreciation. . For this video I used an Olympus CX31 microscope at up to 400x magnification.
#microscopy #microscope #microorganisms #ecology #winter #drbioforever