Jabruson / Mountain Gorilla hand holding plant {Gorilla gorilla beringei}, Virunga NP, DR of Congo

Will Watson / Natural oil film on surface of woodland pond, caused by the anoxic decay of organic matter, Essex, England, UK, March

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Mallard ducks and drakes (Anas platyrynchos) amongst river foam, bacterial pollution, caused by organic matter, natural or man made. Dorset, England, UK, November 2007.

Andy Sands / Woolly Bear / Carpet Beetle Larvae (Dermestidae sp.), commonly found in birds nests feeding on feathers, dead chicks and other organic matter. Captive. UK, April.

Stephen Dalton / Caddis fly (Trichoptera) larva in case made of shells and vegetable matter, UK, controlled conditions

Colin Monteath / Stream stained brown by organic matter with overhanging ferns, Oparara Basin Arches, Kahurangi National Park, Karamea, New Zealand

Colin Monteath / Limestone boulders in Oparara River stained brown with organic matter, Oparara Basin Arches, Kahurangi National Park, near Karamea, New Zealand

Colin Monteath / Stream stained brown by organic matter with overhanging ferns, Oparara Basin Arches, Kahurangi National Park, Karamea, New Zealand

Steven David Miller / Seldom Seen, along the Snowy River Road, Victoria, Australia 2007. The last place heading north where one may buy fuel. The owner has an unusual collection of skeletal matter on display next to the pu...

Jean E. Roche / Children being taught about the importance of composting organic matter, France

Dave Bevan / Nematode worm {Nematoda} which helps to break down vegetable matter into compost, Wales, UK, May

Piotr Naskrecki / Ant (Sericomyrmex amabilis) on fungus garden, white clumps are gongylidia - the nutritious fungal growths consumed by the ants which sprout from the matrix of leaf matter, Costa Rica

Karl Ammann / White nosed guenon monkeys (Cercopithecus nictitans) hunted for bushmeat, Central Africa. Modern hunting techniques mean that entire troops of primates can be wiped out in a matter of hours.