INTRODUCTION

The Winogradsky Column was designed in 1880 by Sergie Winogradsky, a pioneer in

microbial autography and ecology. This tool proves an excellent way for studying
ecological succession, community structure, and population growth. This consists of a tall
plastic bottle placed with moderate amount soil, sources of nutrients, and fresh
pond/marine water where organisms will soon develop. Sources of nutrients include
newspapers, chalk, metal nails, egg yolk, and egg shell among others. The column is able
to study microbial activity, nutrient cycling in the soil, and sulfur, nitrogen, carbon and
phosphorus nutrients.

The column creates an aerobic and anaerobic layer where different microbes can
develop. The top most layer where there is oxygen is inhabited by organisms such as the
cyanobacteria which show light green coloration. Below are layers inhabited by
heterophillic bacteria, iron oxidizers, and purple non-sulfur bacteria which are
distinguished by the color they appear asin water which are orange, red-purple
respectively. The bottom anaerobic part of the column is inhabited by sulfur reducing
bacteria, green sulfur bacteria, and purple sulfur bacteria which show black, green, and
purple layers respectively. The black coloration at the bottom most part is due to the
reduction of sulfate to sulfide.

Generally, sulfur is provided by the crushed egg yolk, while calcium carbonate is provided
by the crushed egg shell. Metal nails are a source of metal iron, newspapers are a source
of carbon for purple non-sulfur bacteria, and chalk provide minerals.

Evidently, the column depicts the interdependent relationship of microbes in just a matter
of six to eight weeks. This exercise aimed to create a microsm, to gain appreciation for
the diversity of methods microorganisms use to gain energy, and to diagram the carbon
and sulfur cycles as it occurs in the Winograsky Column.

RESULTS

Table 1. Winogradsky column exposed to sunlight

OBSERVATIONS WEEK 0 WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 WEEK 5 WEEK
6
Odors Newspaper Smells of Smells of Smells of Smells of Smells of Smells
smell rust dirt dirt dirt dirt of dirt
Film on the None Green Green and Green and Green and Green and Green
Surface of the and white white white brown film brown film and
Water cotton cotton film cotton film brown
film film
Crust forming in None Green Green Green Green Green Green
the bottle crust and crust and crust and crust crust crust
White White White
cotton cotton cotton
Macroscopic None None None None None None None
Ogranisms

Figure 1.1. Figure 1.2. Figure 1.3.

Winogradsky week 0 Winogradsky week 1 Winogradsky week 2
 Figure 1.4. Figure 1.5. Figure 1.6.
Winogradsky week 3 Winogradsky week 4 Winogradsky week 5

Figure 1.7.
Winogradsky week 6

DISCUSSION

Winogradsky Column exposed to sunlight

The column is covered with plastic to prevent evaporation and sunlight is allowed to
promote the growth of microscopic organisms. Organisms found on the top layer are
termed photautotrophs because they use energy from the sun to drive their life
processes. These organisms include both cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae, evident in
Figures 1.2-1.7 as the green layer on top. Over time, there will be more oxygen at the
top of the column, creating an oxygen gradient. Further supporting the presence of
oxygen-tolerant microbes such as cyanobacteria and algae on top.

White film evident in Figures 1.2-1.4 shows the presence of sulfur oxidizing bacteria. It is
the presence of the sulfur gradient that sustains these organisms. Any H2S that diffuses
to the aerobic zone can be oxidized to sulphate. Thus, sulfur oxidizing bacteria are
chemosynthetic or chemoautotrophic organisms because they are able to gain energy
from the oxidation of H2S and synthesize organic matter from CO2.

Areas of brown, orange, red, and purple near the middle indicate the presence of purple
non-sulfur bacteria which need a carbon source to survive (see Figure 1.6 and 1.7). These
bacteria grow in anaerobic conditions, gaining their energy from light reactions but using
organic acids as their carbon source for cellular synthesis. Thus, they are termed
as photoheterotrophs. These bacteria also occur above sulfur bacteria because they
are intolerant of high H2S concentrations.

Figures 1.5-1.7 further show a red-purple layer below the middle layer. This indicates the
presence of purple sulfur bacteria. These are anaerobes that cannot tolerate the free
oxygen on top caused by the oxygen gradient. They consume cellulose (from newspaper)
as their energy source and produce CO2 that may be used by other bacteria.

The blackish color found in the bottom is due to the presence of Sulphur-reducing bacteria
that perform anaerobic respiration. They utilize either sulphate as terminal electron
acceptors, generating large amounts of H2S in the process. Some of the H2S diffuses
upwards for other organisms to use, creating the sulfur gradient. Lastly, macroscopic
organisms nor traces of their presence, such as upper layers of sediment and swimming
specks in the water column were found (See Table 1).

CONCLUSION
 The Winogradsky column demonstrates the structure and diversity of prokaryotes.
Life in the column represents organisms that obtain energy from light (phototrophs) or
chemical oxidations (chemotrophs); obtain carbon from CO2 (autotrophs) or from
organic compounds (heterotrophs). Organisms are a combination of these categories,
creating photoautotrophs (e.g. Plants, cyanobacteria, algae), chemoheterotophs (e.g.
animals, fungi), photoheterotrophs (e.g. purple non-sulfur bacteria, and chemoautotrophs
(e.g. sulfur oxidizing bacteria).

NOT SURE IF TAMA

REFERENCES
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