Winogradsky Column

Bacteria exhibit wide range of diversity Prokaryotic organisms keep our world turning by recycling elements needed for life Winogradsky and Beijerinck studied relationship between different species of microbes in mixed communities

250g mud 125g mud, 5g calcium carbonate, 5g calcium sulfate, 10g shredded paper (cellulose) Mixed them together filled to 3cm Added rest of the mud to fill up the column (up to 5cm from the top) Made in October 2011

Rhodospirllum

Grey – Clostridium cellulose degrading bacteria grows when oxygen is depleted Ferments glucose makes acetic acid succinic acid Desulfovibrio uses fermentation products in anaerobic respiration uses sulfate as the electron accepter makes hydrogen sulfide Makes the mud black

H2S helps the anaerobic photosynthetic bacteria to grow Green sulfur bacteria Chlorobium Purple sulfur bacteria Chromatium Use H2S for photosynthesis Sulfur goes back to Desulfovibrio Most of the column red/rust due purple nonsulfur bacteria, Rhodospirillum

Get energy from light, use organic acids made by Clostridium for carbon. Cannot tolerate high conc. Of H2S Cyanobacteria are in the upper zone