1. The Effect of Fertilizers on Microbial Survivorship
Jonah Bruemmer
9th Grade

2. Introduction
Many different types of fertilizers are used to increase plant growth.
This fertilizer can leak into groundwater, and the nutrients from the fertilizer cause overgrowth of algae.
Algae population consumes the supply of dissolved oxygen and organisms no longer have oxygen to live, which is a problem.
Fertilizers contaminating groundwater is a problem.
Can fertilizers affect environmental prokaryotic populations?

3. Chemical Fertilizer Miracle-Gro Liquid All Purpose Plant Food
Liquid form
Advised to be used diluted with water
29.6ml of fertilizer/3785ml of water (1 gallon)
(nitrogen %- phosphorus %- potassium %)
Not organic

4. Biological Fertilizer
Alaska Fish Fertilizer
Liquid form
Advised to use at 29.6ml/3785ml of water (1 gallon)
5-1-1 (nitrogen %- phosphorus %- potassium %)
Organic

5. Escherichia Coli (E. coli)
Found in intestinal tract of animals
Contaminates groundwater through feces
Mostly harmless except for a few strains
Prokaryotic
Gram negative

6. Purpose
To examine the effect of a biological and a chemical fertilizer on E. coli survivorship.

7. Hypotheses
Null: The different concentrations of the two fertilizers will not have an effect on the survivorship of E. coli cell colonies.
Alternate: The different concentrations of the two fertilizers will have an effect on the survivorship of E.coli cell colonies.
The chemical fertilizer will have a greater effect than the biological fertilizer.

8. Materials MiracleGro Chemical Fertilizer.
Alaska Fish Biological Fertilizer
LB Media (1% tryptone, 5% yeast, 10% NaCl)
LB media + 12% agar Plates
E. coli (DH5Alpha)
Incubator at 37°C
Pipette (p. 20, 200, 2000)
Test tubes
Spreader bars
Vortex
Sharpie
Sterile Filter Syringes

9. Methods
Both fertilizers were sterile filtered and then diluted with water to their recommended application. (30ml/3785ml)
Both fertilizers were pipetted into tubes with LB media according to their desired concentration (0%, 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%)

10. Experimental Concentrations(per fertilizer)
0% (control) 1% 2% 5%
10%
ml of E. coli
0.1ml
ml of LB media
0.2ml
0.197ml
0.194ml
0.185ml
0.170ml
ml of fertilizer
0ml
0.003ml
0.006ml
0.015ml
0.03ml
Total Amount
Per Tube
0.3ml

11. Methods (Continued)
0.1ml of E. Coli cells (10^5) were added into each tube
0.1ml samples from each tube was pipetted onto LB plates (5 plates per concentration)
Plates were allowed to incubate at room temperature for 10 minutes
Plates were incubated for 36 hours at 37°C and counted visually

12. MiracleGro Chemical Fertilizer Effects on E. coli Survivorship
p value =
Concentrations of MiracleGro Application Stock

13. Dunnett’s Test - MiracleGro
Concentration
T-value
Result 1%
2.19
Insignificant 2%
3.88
Significant 5%
4.31
10%
5.20
T-crit = 3.48

14. Alaska Fish Fertilizer Effects on E. Coli Survivorship
p value =
Concentrations of Alaska Fish Fertilizer Application Stock

15. Dunnett’s Test - Alaska Fish Fertilizer
Concentration
T-value
Result 1%
1.60
Insignificant 2%
3.35 5%
4.29
Significant
10%
8.90
T-crit = 3.48

16. MiracleGro and Alaska Fish Fertilizer Effect on E. coli Survivorship

17. Conclusions
As concentrations of fertilizer increased, the amount of E. Coli colonies increased as well.
The null hypothesis can be rejected for both fertilizers for the 5% and 10% concentrations and the 2% concentration of MiracleGro
The null hypothesis cannot be rejected for both of the fertilizers for both 1% concentrations and the 2% concentration of Alaska Fish Fertilizer only.
Compared to the control, higher concentrations of Alaska Fish Fertilizer increased the amount of colonies much more than MiracleGro.

18. Limitations Only one type of bacteria was tested Only 5 Concentrations
Only two fertilizers were tested
Plating techniques could be unsynchronized (varying time of exposure)
Study does not reveal other effects on the bacteria

19. Extensions Test more than one bacteria type
Test more than two fertilizers
More concentrations with more trials
Different methods of testing (agar infusion)
Test only nitrogen

20. Sources
“E. Coli (Escherichia Coli) | E. Coli | CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Perlman, Howard, and Usgs. “Nitrogen and Water.” Adhesion and Cohesion Water Properties, USGS Water Science School, water.usgs.gov/edu/nitrogen.html.

21. ANOVA : MiracleGro SUMMARY Groups Count Sum Average Variance 5 2225
222
44.4
17.8 1
253
50.6
5.3 2
277
55.4
12.8
283
56.6
23.8 10
296
59.2
40.7
ANOVA
Source of Variation SS df MS F
P-value
F crit
Between Groups
682.96 4
170.74
Within Groups
401.6 20
20.08
Total 24

22. ANOVA : Alaska Fish Fertilizer
SUMMARY
Groups
Count
Sum
Average
Variance 5
120 24
57.5 1
154
30.8
22.7 2
191
38.2
50.2
211
42.2
41.7 10
310 62
53.5
ANOVA
Source of Variation SS df MS F
P-value
F crit
Between Groups 4
Within Groups
902.4 20
45.12
Total