It has been said that only 1 percent of all bacteria have been classified by species. Soils may be rich sources of new bacterial biodiversity. One such source is the cryptobiotic soils of the desert Southwest. Bacteria were dissociated from soil particles in a blender and grown on R2A agar. Initial findings show that the bacterial population has much diversity based on colony morphology and that populations in excess of 500,000 total cultivatable organisms per g of soil.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Hogan, Richard Michael

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 00D283M

Advisor

• Crusberg, Theodore C.

Year

• 2000

Date created

• 2000-01-01

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biology & Biotechnology

Rights statement

• In Copyright