Lignin
A complex polymer that provides structural support in plant cell walls, particularly in wood. Lignin makes plants rigid and resistant to decay.
Used in the Books
This term appears in 2 chapters:
"... Fungi - some already present as internal infections that weakened the tree, others arriving as airborne spores - begin decomposing the cellulose and lignin that comprise wood structure. Moss and liverworts colonize the moist bark surface. Salamanders and insects take shelter beneath the log. Over subseq..."
"If the trunk simply lay there, those nutrients would be unavailable to living plants - locked in complex organic molecules (cellulose, lignin, proteins) that roots can't absorb. Decomposers break those complex molecules into simple, plant-available forms: - **Proteins → amino acids → ammo..."
Biological Context
Lignin is what makes wood woody. It's highly resistant to decomposition—only certain fungi (white rot) can break it down. Lignified tissues allow plants to grow tall and transport water against gravity. Coal formation involves ancient lignin that didn't fully decompose.
Business Application
Organizational lignin: the deeply embedded structures and practices that are highly resistant to change. Like biological lignin, it provides strength but can persist long after it's useful, requiring special effort to break down.