Winogradsky Columns: Microbial Ecology in the Classroom

This activity instructs students how to build their own Winogradsky columns, which provide visual examples of the diverse modes of metabolism in the microbial world.

A Winogradsky column is a simple device for constructing a stratified microbial ecosystem. In this activity, students set up their own Winogradsky columns using sediments collected in a nearby stream, creek, marsh, pond, bay, ocean beach, or even a backyard puddle. They add to some columns a carbon source (shredded newspaper) and/or a sulfur source (raw egg). They then observe over time the types of organisms that form in different layers based on appearance and color. In this way, students create enrichments of diverse microorganisms from their local environment to illustrate broader biogeochemical processes.

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