Root with mucilage and microbial community in rhizosphere

This image depicts the diversity of life forms in the rhizosphere that interact with plant roots. Roots release exudates that can be a carbon source for microbes, or even select for microbes by acting as antimicrobial agents or as signals. The image depicts more microbes near the root surface than farther away, and specialized microbes in the mucilage where sloughed root cap cells are also visible.