BRYONET: moss microcosms

Dear Bryonetetters,

One of our students is currently studying moss microcosms. He has
identified many algae, rotifers, tardigrades, amoebae, etc., but there
are some structures that he cannot identify. Some look a bit like moss
gemmae, I think, others look like nothing I know of, but I guess they
may also be moss parts. I am hoping that someone might recognize these
'creatures'. The attached photos were taken at 500x, and the samples
come from /Orthotrichum affine/ growing epiphytically at ca. 4 m height
on oaks in northern Germany.

I would be grateful for any suggestions what we might be looking at here.

Best wishes,

Maaike

Maaike Bader
University of Oldenburg
Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences
Functional Ecology of Plants
P.O.Box 2503
26111 Oldenburg
Germany

Tel: +49-441-7983343
Fax: +49-441-7983331
Email: maaike.bader@uni-oldenburg.de;
Homepage: http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/fun_eco/