Name: microbial layers inside a winogradsky column
Uploaded: 2026-03-12T13:57:35.000Z
Duration: 1 min 27 s
Channel: JoVE

עמודת וינוגרדסקי היא מערכת אקולוגית מיקרוביאלית מלאכותית שמאורגנת את עצמה לחקר גיוון ומטבוליזם מיקרוביאלי.הוא נבנה על ידי מילוי גליל זכוכית באמצע הדרך במשקע עשיר אורגני.נייר מגורס מוסיפים כמקור פחמן, גבס כמקור סולפט, וסידן פחמתי כבופר.העמוד מלא במים וחשוף לאור.עם הזמן, שכבות מיקרוביאליות מובחנות מתפתחות בעמודה, ויוצרות גרדיאנטים של חמצן וגופרית.בחלק העליון, הציאנובקטריה מבצעת פוטוסינתזה חמצנית, מייצרת חמצן ושומרת על האזור העליון אירובי.מתחת לכך, חיידקי הגופרית הכימוליטוטרופיים משתמשים בחמצן זה כדי לחמצן מימן גופריתי.באזורים האנוקסיים התחתונים, חיידקי גופרית סגולים וירוקים מבצעים פוטוסינתזה אנוקסקסנית, תוך שימוש בגופרית מימן לקיבוע פחמן דו-חמצני.בשכבות האנוקסיות העמוקות יותר, חיידקים אנאירוביים כמו מפחיתים סולפטים ותסיסה מפחיתים את הסולפט למימן גופריתי, שמתפשט כלפי מעלה ומשמש חיידקים מחמצנים גופרית, ויוצרים מחזור גופרית אנכי.

עמוד וינוגרדסקי

The Winogradsky Column

עמודת וינוגרדסקי מספקת כלי עוצמתי לחקר אקולוגיה מיקרוביאלית ואינטראקציות מטבוליות בסביבה שכבתית ועצמאית. מערכת אקולוגית מלאכותית זו, שפותחה על ידי סרגיי וינוגרדסקי בסוף המאה ה-19, משחזרת את הגרדיאנטים הביוגאוכימיים המורכבים שנמצאים במשקעים טבעיים, ומאפשרת לחוקרים לצפות ברצף מיקרואורגני ובאינטראקציות לאורך זמן.העמוד מורכב בדרך כלל בגליל זכוכית שקוף הממולא למחצה במשקעים המעורבבים עם תאית (למשל, נייר גרוע), פחמת סידן וגבס. התאית משמשת כמקור פחמן, סידן פחמתי משמש כבופר pH, והגבס מספק סולפט. השטח הנותר מתמלא במי בריכה, והעמוד אטום כדי למנוע אידוי וזיהום. לאחר מכן הוא מונח באור כדי לעודד פעילות פוטוסינתטית. בתוך שבועות מתפתחים גרדיאנטים כימיים של חמצן וגופרית, המניעים היווצרות אזורים מיקרוביאליים מובחנים.השכבה העליונה ביותר, החשופה לאור וחמצן, נשלטת על ידי פוטוטרופים חמצניים כמו ציאנובקטריה ואצות. אורגניזמים אלה מקבעים פחמן דו-חמצני באמצעות אנרגיית אור, ומייצרים חמצן כתוצר לוואי. ממש מתחת, באזור המיקרואירופילי, חיידקי גופרית חסרי צבע מחמצנים מימן גופריתי (H₂S) באמצעות החמצן המוגבל הזמין, ויוצרים גופרית יסודית (S⁰) או סולפט (SO₄²⁻).עמוק יותר בעמודה, שם החמצן מתרוקן, חיידקים סגולים ללא גופרית משתמשים בפוטוהטרוטרופיה, תוך הסתמכות על מצעים אורגניים ואור לצמיחה. עמוק אף יותר, בתנאים אנוקסיים מוחלט, חיידקי גופרית סגולים וירוקים מבצעים פוטוסינתזה אנוקסינית. אורגניזמים אלו משתמשים ב-H₂S כתורם אלקטרונים ומקבעים CO₂, תורמים לייצור ראשוני בהיעדר חמצן.בבסיס העמודה, חיידקים אנאירוביים כמו חיידקים מפחיתים סולפט (למשל, Desulfovibrio spp.) וחומרי תסיסה מפרקים חומר אורגני. מפחיתים סולפטים משתמשים בסולפט כמקבל אלקטרונים סופי, ומייצרים H₂S. H₂S זה מתפזר כלפי מעלה, ומשמש כמקור אנרגיה לחיידקים מחומצנים ופוטוסינתטיים בשכבות העליונות, וכתוצאה מכך מתקיים מחזור גופרית סגור.עמודת וינוגרדסקי, דרך מבנה שכבתי ואינטראקציות דינמיות שלה, מדגימה את המורכבות והתלות ההדדית של מערכות אקולוגיות מיקרוביאליות, ומשמשת כמודל מעמיק למיקרוביולוגיה סביבתית ומחזור ביוגיאוכימלי.

A Winogradsky column provides a powerful tool for studying microbial ecology and metabolic interactions in a stratified, self-contained environment. This ...

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Education

JoVE Core

Microbiology

מיקרוביולוגיה

Unit

יחידה

Microbial Ecology

אקולוגיה מיקרוביאלית

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

מונחים ומושגים מרכזיים

microbial layers inside a winogradsky column

A Winogradsky column shows how microbial layers form in a simple, sealed ecosystem. It is a clear model for studying microbial ecology and how different metabolisms interact in sediment over time.

The setup uses a transparent glass cylinder. Half of it is filled with sediment mixed with cellulose, such as shredded paper, calcium carbonate, and gypsum. The cellulose provides a carbon source. Calcium carbonate buffers pH, and gypsum supplies sulfate. The rest of the cylinder is filled with pond water, then sealed to limit evaporation and contamination.

The column is placed in light so photosynthesis can occur. Over several weeks, oxygen and sulfur gradients develop. These chemical changes create distinct microbial zones in the sediment and water column.

The top layer, which has both light and oxygen, is dominated by oxygenic phototrophs such as cyanobacteria and algae. These organisms use light to fix carbon dioxide and release oxygen as a byproduct. Just below that, in the microaerophilic zone, colorless sulfur bacteria use the small amount of oxygen available to oxidize hydrogen sulfide, or H2S. This process can produce elemental sulfur, S0, or sulfate, SO4(2−).

Deeper in the column, oxygen becomes scarce. Purple nonsulfur bacteria live here and use photoheterotrophy, which means they use light and organic substrates for growth. Still deeper, in fully anoxic zones, purple sulfur bacteria and green sulfur bacteria carry out anoxygenic photosynthesis. They use H2S as an electron donor and fix CO2 even without oxygen.

At the base of the column, anaerobic bacteria break down organic matter. Sulfate-reducing bacteria, such as Desulfovibrio species, use sulfate as a terminal electron acceptor and produce H2S. Fermenters also help decompose the material. The H2S moves upward and becomes fuel for sulfur-oxidizing and photosynthetic bacteria, which helps sustain a closed sulfur cycle in the column.

Microbial Layers Inside a Winogradsky Column

microbial-layers-inside-a-winogradsky-column

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ecological niche

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methods to assess microbial communities

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the winogradsky column

A Winogradsky column shows how microbial layers form in a simple, sealed ecosystem. It is a clear model for studying microbial ecology and how different metabolisms interact in sediment over time. The setup uses a transparent glass cylinder. Half of it is filled with sediment mixed with cellulose, such as shredded paper, calcium carbonate, and gypsum. The cellulose provides a carbon source. Calcium carbonate buffers pH, and gypsum supplies sulfate. The rest of the cylinder is filled with pond...

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microbial interactions: parasitism

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key terms and concepts

Explore how a Winogradsky column forms distinct microbial layers, from oxygenic phototrophs at the top to sulfate reducers at the base.

Microbial Layers Inside a Winogradsky Column | JoVE K12

JoVE Core Microbiology provides an engaging introduction to the microbial world and its influence on health, industry, and the environment. This comprehensive collection covers key concepts such as microbial structure, metabolism, genetics, and ecology. It introduces essential laboratory techniques and microscopy methods through visually engaging animations. Corresponding scientist-in-action videos bridge classroom concepts with real-world research and applications.

microbiology

Microbial Layers Inside a Winogradsky Column

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