Hi winobloggers. We are biotechnology A10 group and this is our progression related to the Winogradsky column.
The sediment was taken from a hyper saline lagoon on the 4th of March 2015. We added some CaCO3 (approximately a spoonful) and some CaSO4 (approximately a spoonful) to the sediment, then we mixed it all and poured into the Winogradsky Column. As it was only half-filled we poured more sediment without any substratum and 2 cm of water from the lagoon so it finally was ¾ filled.
The column stays all day facing a window with the same side looking forward the sun and half closed so the oxygen can be renewed. Our hypothesis is that in few weeks we will see some photosynthetic bacterias and some sulphate-reducing bacterias due to the CaCO3 and CaSO4 we added to the sediment. We expect that in few weeks the column becomes purplish on the bottom and blueish on the top because of the cyanobacterias.
Week 1: The worms that came into the column with the sediment seemed to die in 2-3 days, although there are still many snails on the top of the “shadow side”. Now the sediment has become darker, especially on the shadow side.
Week 2: The sediment has turned light brown, even ochre, on the light side. It's almost black on the shadow side. There are still shells stuck to the bottle walls on the shadow side too.
Worms the first day
The column 4 days after we filled it
The column 4 days after we filled it
Shells on the shadow side - 8th March
Tunnels the worms made
Light side - 15th March
There are still shells - 15th March
Dark side - 15th March
You have seen lot's of changes, already.
ReplyDeleteThe shells are Hydrobia snails. They definitely will not go back to the sediment until there is some food for them (what could it be?).
One correction. Although the name cyanobacteria (yes, from the very greek κυανος/kyanos which means blue) implies a blue colour, you would rarely see macroscopically such a colour. With just green we will be happy. We could get a sample though and see it under a microscope if you want.
Any ideas how we could use cyanobacteria for biotechnological applications?
There is even a non-direct connection between cyanobacteria and wine!
Keep looking.