Mark Moffett / Ant (Philidris sp) feeding on the oily orange spores of a host fern The ant lives in the fern's stem, where it drags nutrient rich debris to create compost for the fern, Borneo.

Pat Tuson / Compost waste truck collection, London Borough of Islington, UK March 2009

Nick Turner / Biodegradeable plastic compost bag being placed in a garden compost bin, UK.

Nick Turner / A garden compost bin with stacked flower pots next to it, September 2008.

Nick Turner / Workman next to infomation sign at wood recycling centre, where wood is made into soil conditioner, Gloucestershire, UK, February 2008.

Ernie Janes / Greenhouse, compost bins and vegetable garden in Garden Allotments, Buckinghamshire, UK, June

Ernie Janes / Compost bin in vegetable garden, Norfolk, UK

Gary K. Smith / Storing maincrop Carrots (Daucus carota) in damp compost in a frost free greenhouse, Norfolk UK, January

Peter Cairns / naturepl.com / Compost recycling bins stacked up for distribution, Inverness, Scotland, UK, May 2008

Peter Cairns / naturepl.com / Compost recycling bins stacked up for distribution, Inverness, Scotland, UK, May 2008

Stephen Dalton / Pair of Slow worms (Lacerta gracilis) seeking warmth under cover of compost heap, UK

Gary K. Smith / Brandling / Tiger worm (Eisenia foetida) in compost.

Dave Bevan / Gardener filling a compost bin, mixing the material by moving from bin to bin, UK, model released

Dave Bevan / Gardener filling a compost bin, adding water to dampen the dry straw, UK

Dave Bevan / Wheelbarrow load of freshly cut Bracken for adding to compost heap, UK

Dave Bevan / Gardener adding crushed egg shells to compost bin, UK

Dave Bevan / Gardener filling a compost bin, adding water to dampen the dry straw, UK, model released

Dave Bevan / Laying an old carpet over a compost heap to keep the heat in and speed up the composting process, UK, model released

Gary K. Smith / Gardener emptying compost from wooden compost bin into trug, Norfolk, UK, December 2008

Gary K. Smith / Gardener putting leaves in plastic sack to make leaf mould compost, UK, December 2008.

Gary K. Smith / Gardener putting leaves in plastic sack to make leaf mould compost, UK, December 2008.

Gary K. Smith / Gardener raking leaves on lawn and loading into plastic sack to make leaf mould compost, December 2008.

Gary K. Smith / Gardener removing old geranium plants and compost from pots, Norfolk, UK, December 2008

Gary K. Smith / Lettuce, 'Little Gem' variety {Lactuca sativa} being grown in an old compost bag filled with garden compost on an urban patio, UK, August

Dave Bevan / Sieving compost through one inch mesh to remove large lumps, UK, model released

Dave Bevan / Gardener sieving raw compost through seive, UK, model released

Dave Bevan / Turning a compost heap for commercially chipped tree branches, UK, model released

Dave Bevan / Woman forking well-rotted leaf mold from a big bag into a wheel barrow, UK, model released

Dave Bevan / Close up of two year old well-rotten leaf mold in garden, UK, model released

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

Gary K. Smith / Biodegradable cornstarch bag with kitchen waste products ready for the compost heap, UK

Gary K. Smith / Woman gardener in greenhouse potting young Tomato seedlings {Solanum lycopersicum} UK, March

Nick Turner / Two hands holding two different types of home made compost at the Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth, Wales

PREMAPHOTOS / Small Fruit Flies (Drosophila funebris) feeding on tomato in compost heap, UK

Jason Smalley / Wheelbarrow of manure in vegetable garden, UK

Jason Smalley / Man feeding vegetable plot with manure compost, UK

Dan Burton / Compost heap in allotment garden, Devon, UK

Gary Smith / Removing compost from compost bin in an organic garden, UK.

Kim Taylor / Yellow dungflies on rotting compost {Scatophaga stercoraria} UK.

Kim Taylor / Yellow dungflies on rotting compost {Scatophaga stercoraria} UK.

Kim Taylor / Brandling worms {Eisenia foetida} on compost heap, UK.

Kim Taylor / Brandling worms {Eisenia foetida} on compost heap, UK.

Mark Moffett / Ant (Philidris sp) group feeding on the oily orange spores of a host fern The ants live in the fern's stem, where they gather nutrient rich debris to create compost for the fern, Borneo

Mark Moffett / Ant (Philidris sp) group lives in the fern's speckled stem, where they drag nutrient rich debris to create compost for the fern Orange spores provide food source for ants, Bako, Borneo

Mark Moffett / Ant (Philidris sp) group live in the fern's speckled stem, where they drag nutrient rich debris to create compost for the fern Orange spores provide food source for ants, Bako, Borneo

George McCarthy / Grass snake {Natrix natrix} on muck heap in stable yard, with horses behind. UK

Mark Moffett / Ant (Philidris sp) group lives in the fern's speckled stem, where they drag nutrient rich debris to create compost for the fern Orange spores provide food source for ants, Bako, Borneo