Soil houses a vast array of life including many different types of microbes. These microbes help contribute to the ecosystems in and around the soil. For the purpose of the study of this paper the ecosystem that the sample was collected from was the forest floor. The types of microbes that grow in specific soil samples depend on many things such as pH, salinity, temperature and the variant levels of different nutrients. Moisture levels of soil and energy sources are also large factors in microbial growth within soil. Typically, the purpose of this study was to preform many tests to isolate and identify what types of bacteria inhabiting the sample of forest soil tested.
Methods:
Many steps were taken to isolate and identify the different types …show more content…
This genus of bacteria is known to be aerobic, gram-positive, non-motile bacteria. With shapes within colonies varying from rods to cocci (Finnetry 1992). This general knowledge backs up the conclusion and identification of the bacteria cultured in this study. Rhodococci are known to be widely spread throughout soil and sludge (Finnetry 1992) making the discovery of this genus in the tested sample a common find. Infections from this genus of bacteria have increased over the last ten years. This increase is seen despite Rhodococci’s previous reputation for being non- pathogenic in humans. A large spike has been seen in these types of infections in patients with compromised immune systems such as post surgery or with immune deficiency diseases like Autoimmune Disorder (AIDS) or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This type of infection can present with many symptoms from pulmonary infections to abbesses in the brain. The experiments used for identification of bacteria samples were efficient and extremely useful. If the study were to be repeated, certain tests that were non successful in lab such as the oxygen tolerance tests and the test for capsules and endospores. Had these tests been completed successfully with in the first trial of the study their results would have aided in a more time efficient identification of the genus of bacteria present with in the soil sample. Although these results would have been helpful they did not hinder the final identification. The soil sample used in these laboratory tests housed many species of bacteria and other microbes. The roddocus bacteria was kept alive throughout the entire span of the study and was easily identified using the results of most of the tests that were completed. In conclusion, with different techniques and tests used throughout the time span of this study it was possible to isolate and identify several cultures and proceed to identify
Methods:
Many steps were taken to isolate and identify the different types …show more content…
This genus of bacteria is known to be aerobic, gram-positive, non-motile bacteria. With shapes within colonies varying from rods to cocci (Finnetry 1992). This general knowledge backs up the conclusion and identification of the bacteria cultured in this study. Rhodococci are known to be widely spread throughout soil and sludge (Finnetry 1992) making the discovery of this genus in the tested sample a common find. Infections from this genus of bacteria have increased over the last ten years. This increase is seen despite Rhodococci’s previous reputation for being non- pathogenic in humans. A large spike has been seen in these types of infections in patients with compromised immune systems such as post surgery or with immune deficiency diseases like Autoimmune Disorder (AIDS) or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This type of infection can present with many symptoms from pulmonary infections to abbesses in the brain. The experiments used for identification of bacteria samples were efficient and extremely useful. If the study were to be repeated, certain tests that were non successful in lab such as the oxygen tolerance tests and the test for capsules and endospores. Had these tests been completed successfully with in the first trial of the study their results would have aided in a more time efficient identification of the genus of bacteria present with in the soil sample. Although these results would have been helpful they did not hinder the final identification. The soil sample used in these laboratory tests housed many species of bacteria and other microbes. The roddocus bacteria was kept alive throughout the entire span of the study and was easily identified using the results of most of the tests that were completed. In conclusion, with different techniques and tests used throughout the time span of this study it was possible to isolate and identify several cultures and proceed to identify