Mucilage thread connecting sand particles

This photo was taken from a coarse sand mixed with mucilage. Here we used mucilage extracted from chia seeds to simulate the deposition of root exuded mucilage in soil. Mucilage was stained with blue ink to improve contrast between sand and dry mucilage structures. Due to its high polymer content, mucilage formed a long, rigid thread during drying. This thin structure bridges the open pore space and holds another small particle in place. The release of highly polymeric substances, such as mucilage is a strategy applied by many soil organisms to alter their environment.