First week, group 1B

We are going to use bacteria from the pond mud to create and study a mini ecosystem called a Winogradsky column.  It is based on the idea of ecological balance what means cooperation between different types of bacteria. Residues produced by ones constitute substrate for others. First of all we mix the mud with several ingredients to provide food and other substrates for the bacteria to use. These ingredients are:

• ·         30 g of mud.
• ·         3’36 g of salt – to develop halophilic bacteria.
• ·         Shredded paper – to provide Carbon source on the form of cellulose.
• ·         0’99g of gypsum (Calcium sulphate – to provide a source of sulphur - and Calcium carbonate – as another source of carbon).
• ·         0’17 g of Sodium bicarbonate - it will provide Carbon too.
• ·         Pond water

Then, we add the mix to the test tube (1/3 of the tube), we add a mix of sediment and mud (2/3) and we seal it. We place the column next to a window for several weeks.

We expect it to develop halophilic bacteria, some anaerobic bacteria and some aerobic bacteria. Some of them should be able to break down the cellulose in order to give glucose.

Finally, we will post more blog entries to analyse what happens in our Winogradsky column week after week.