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OBSERVATIONS

Taking photos of a moss with an

USB digital microscope: a good
alternative strategy to obtain high
magnification images.
By Mirian Pereira de Oliveira, Ellen
Carolina Mendes do Carmo &
Adases Maciel-Silva

What are bryophytes?

Bryophytes are small plants generally called mosses, liverworts and hornworts, and are found in different places

from tropical rain forests and deserts to

arctic environments. They live on rocks,
soil, tree barks and even on leaves in
extremely humid tropical forests.
The life cycle in these plants has two
different phases (gametophyte and
sporophyte), characterized by the alternation of generations. The pporophyte
generation is nutritionally dependent on
the gametophyte, and develops attached
to latter. Bryophytes depend on water to
allow male gametes to fertilize the female ones, thus forming a zygote and
consequently a sporophyte. Therefore

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the development of the sporophytic

phase coincides with the transition between rainy-dry seasons. During rainy
months fertilizations occur, sporophytes
develop during subsequent months and
spread spores in the driest months.
When suitable conditions of light and
moisture are present, spores germinate,
develop protonemata and generate new
plants (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Life cycle in a generalized

moss.

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OBSERVATIONS

Bryophyte curiosities
A recent study mentioned that mosses can be brought back to life after
2,000 years frozen in ice in the Antarctica. This was possible because these
plants are tolerant to stress and characterized by cryptobiosis (an ametabolic
state, in which the organism lies dormant until conditions improve). No other bryophyte or any plant had regrown
after such long period of time under
preservation.
Studied species
Octoblepharum albidum is a pantropical moss commonly found inhabiting tree barks at sea level and low
altitude forests. This monoecious moss
has female and male gametangia in the

same plant and is able of self-fertilizing,

producing a sporophyte.
Since bryophytes need water to
complete their life cycles, the sporophyte development is strongly dependent on the water availability in the
forests where O. albidum lives. Fertilization process generally coincides with
rainy months, whereas spore dispersal
occurs mostly during dry months. The
time necessary to complete the sporophytic cycle in this species is about
seven months from early stages to dispersal of spores. Moreover, sporangia in
O. albidum have eight teeth called peristome teeth, which open when dry to
help in spore dispersal.
Sampling and taking photos
We observed and collected samples
of the moss O. albidum in a semi-decid-

Field study and lab procedures for

taking photos.
Figure 2: Plant collection in field.
Figure 3: Plants of the moss Octoblepharum albidum.
Figure 4: Materials used for preparing
plant samples.
uous forest (Estao Ecolgica da UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil)
during four months (March August
2014). Our goal was to record different
phases of the sporophyte development
in this moss using a simple USB digital
microscope.
We selected sporophytes from early
to late development stages, detaching
the sporophytes from the gametophytes.

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OBSERVATIONS

Figures 5-6: Sticks of dental wax

(note sporophyte attached to stick).
Figure 7: Digital microscope imaging
the sporophyte and stick of wax.
Conclusion
Nowadays, we have support from
many technological advances in different areas of science, and microscopy is
continuously evolving. However, simple and relatively cheap alternatives can
provide practical and interesting results
for use in science, school lectures and why not? - recording of nature by amateurs.
References

Sporophytes were placed on a glass

slide and kept moist for taking photos.
Alternatively, sporophytes were also
attached to a stick of dental wax. We
used a digital microscope (800x, USB,
2 MP, 8 LEDs) connected to a laptop to
obtain images. Regarding lighting, we
used a fluorescent lamp focusing on the
sporophyte. A circle made of tracing
paper was located around the sporophyte, and a filter of bright white paper
was located between the lamp and the
tracing paper filter (Figures 7-9). The
use of tracing paper was important to
control the lighting effect on plant material.

Results
We observed sporophytes in different stages of development (Figures 1018), with early stages found mostly in
the beginning of the dry season and later
stages in the end of season. We were
able to record images with reasonable to
good resolutions using a digital microscope, paper filters, fluorescent lighting
and a dose of patience.
Using the highest magnification of
the digital microscope, we captured details from the sporangia mouth such as
peristome teeth and spores (Figures 1921). Spores in the moss O. albidum have
diameter ca. 24 m.

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Roads, E.; Longton, R. E. & Convey, P.

2014. Millennial timescale regeneration
in a moss from Antarctica. Current Biology 24: 222-223.
Glime, J. M. 2013. Meet the Bryophytes. Chapter 2-1. In: Glime, J. M.
Bryophyte Ecology. Volume 1. Physiological Ecology. Ebook 2-1-1 sponsored by Michigan Technological
University and the International Association of Bryologists. Last updated 28
June
2013
and
available
at
<www.bryoecol.mtu.edu>.
Glime, J. M. 2013. Life Cycles: Surviving Change. Chapt. 2-2. In: Glime, J. M.
Bryophyte Ecology. Volume 1. Physiological Ecology. 2-2-1 Ebook spon-

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OBSERVATIONS

Figure 8: Digital microscope connected to laptop.

Figure 9: Lighting focusing on microscope, paper filters (external bright

white; internal tracing paper) and
stick with sporophyte or sporophyte
on glass slide.
sored by Michigan Technological
University and the International Association of Bryologists. Last updated 28
June
2013
and
available
at
<www.bryoecol.mtu.edu>.
Gradstein, S.R., Churchill, S.P. & Salazar Allen, N. 2001. Guide to the Bryophytes of Tropical America. Memories
of the New York Botanical Garden 86:
1-577.

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OBSERVATIONS

10

11

15

12

17

16

Different phases of development in the

sporophytes of the moss Octoblepharum albidum.
Figures 10-11: Early phases with imature sporangia, still green and slim. No
meiosis occurred and spores are not
formed. Note the film-like cover on the
sporangia, which is called calyptra.

13

14

18

Figures 16-17: Sporangia are spreading

Figures 12-14: Sporangia are enlarged,
but still green and have a calyptra. Meio- spores. Note peristome teeth located on
the top.
sis already occurred and spores begin
to develop inside the sporangia.
Figure 18: Old and dehydrated sporangiFigure 15: The sporangium begins to um after spore dispersal.
mature and lose water. With no calyptra,
the sporangium has spores developed
but remains closed by the operculum.

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Figures 19-21: Details in the mouth of

sporophytes of the moss Octoblepharum albidum. Note the peristome teeth and many green spores.

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20

Glossary

OBSERVATIONS

21

Male gameta: mobile reproductive cell

(sperm).

Alternation of generations: alternation of a sexual phase and an asexual Peristome teeth: teeth organized
phase in the life cycle of an organism. around the mouth of the sporangium.

Calyptra: film-like cover on the Semi-deciduous forest: a type of forsporophyte.

est characterized by some tree species
seasonally shedding their leaves.
Cryptobiosis: ametabolic state of
an organism in response to adverse Spore dispersal: when mature sporanenvironmental
conditions
such gia dry and open spreading spores.
as desiccation, freezing and oxygen deSporangium: terminal part in the
ficiency.
sporophyte containing spores.
Female gameta: immobile reproducSporophyte: diploid generation, protive cell (egg).
ducing spores.
Fertilization: male and female gamZygote: Early stage of diploid generaetes fuse forming a zygote.
tion (sporophyte).
Gametophyte: haploid sexual generation producing gametes.

Mirian Pereira de Oliveira1, Ellen Carolina Mendes do Carmo1 &

Adases Maciel-Silva2
Colgio Tcnico do Centro Pedaggico da Universidade Federal de
Minas Gerais;
2 Departamento de Botnica, Instituto
de Cincias Biolgicas, Universidade
Federal de Minas Gerais
1

Contact: adaisesmaciel [at] ufmg.br

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