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

Kolumna Winogradsky'ego to samoorganizujący, sztuczny ekosystem mikroorganizmów do badania różnorodności i metabolizmu mikroorganizmów.Powstaje przez wypełnienie szklanego cylindra w połowie osadami bogatymi w organizmy.Rozdrobniony papier dodaje się jako źródło węgla, gips jako źródło siarczanów, a węglan wapnia jako bufor.Kolumna jest wypełniana wodą i wystawiona na światło.Z czasem w kolumnie rozwijają się wyraźne warstwy mikroorganizmów, tworząc gradienty tlenu i siarki.Na szczycie cyjanobakterie wykonują fotosyntezę tlenową, produkując tlen i utrzymując górną strefę tlenową.Poniżej tego poziomu bakterie siarki chemolitotroficzne wykorzystują ten tlen do utleniania siarkowodoru.W niższych strefach beztlenowych bakterie siarki fioletowej i zielonej wykonują fotosyntezę beztlenową, wykorzystując siarkowodór do wiązania dwutlenku węgla.W głębszych warstwach beztlenowych bakterie beztlenowe, takie jak reduktory siarczanowe i fermentory, redukują siarczan do siarkowodoru, który dyfunduje w górę i jest wykorzystywany przez bakterie utleniające siarkę, tworząc pionowy cykl siarkowy.

kolumna winogradskiego

The Winogradsky Column

Kolumna Winogradsky'ego stanowi potężne narzędzie do badania ekologii mikroorganizmów i interakcji metabolicznych w zróżnicowanym, samowystarczalnym środowisku. Ten sztuczny ekosystem, opracowany przez Siergieja Winogradskiego pod koniec XIX wieku, odtwarza złożone gradienty biogeochemiczne występujące w naturalnych osadach, umożliwiając badaczom obserwowanie sukcesji i interakcji mikroorganizmów w czasie.Kolumna jest zazwyczaj montowana w przezroczystym szklanym cylindrze wypełnionym w połowie osadami zmieszanymi z celulozą (np. rozdrobniony papier), węglanem wapnia i gipsem. Celuloza stanowi źródło węgla, węglan wapnia działa jako bufor pH, a gips dostarcza siarczanów. Pozostała przestrzeń wypełnia się wodą ze stawu, a kolumna jest uszczelniana, aby zapobiec parowaniu i zanieczyszczeniu. Następnie umieszcza się go w świetle, aby pobudzić aktywność fotosyntetyczną. W ciągu kilku tygodni rozwijają się gradienty chemiczne tlenu i siarki, które napędzają powstawanie wyraźnych stref mikrobiologicznych.Najwyższa warstwa, wystawiona na światło i tlen, jest zdominowana przez tlenowe fototrofy, takie jak cyjanobakterie i glony. Organizmy te wiązają dwutlenek węgla za pomocą energii świetlnej, wytwarzając tlen jako produkt uboczny. Tuż poniżej, w strefie mikroaerofilowej, bezbarwne bakterie siarki utleniają siarkowodór (H₂S) przy użyciu ograniczonego dostępnego tlenu, tworząc siarkę elementarną (S⁰) lub siarczan (SO₄²⁻).Głębiej w kolumnie, gdzie tlen się wyczerpuje, fioletowe bakterie niesiarkowe wykorzystują fotoheterotrofię, polegając na organicznych substratach i świetle do wzrostu. Jeszcze głębiej, w ściśle beztlenowych warunkach, bakterie siarki fioletowe i zielone wykonują fotosyntezę beztlenową. Organizmy te wykorzystują H₂S jako dawcę elektronów i wiązają CO₂, przyczyniając się do pierwotnej produkcji przy braku tlenu.U podstawy kolumny bakterie beztlenowe, takie jak bakterie redukujące siarczany (np. Desulfovibrio spp.) oraz fermentory, rozkładają materię organiczną. Reduktory siarczanowe wykorzystują siarczan jako końcowy akceptor elektronów, produkując H₂S. Ten H₂S dyfunduje w górę, służąc jako źródło energii dla bakterii utleniających siarkę i fotosyntetycznych w górnych warstwach, w efekcie utrzymując zamknięty cykl siarkowy.Kolumna Winogradskiego, dzięki swojej strukturze stratyfikacyjnej i dynamicznym interakcjom, ilustruje złożoność i współzależność ekosystemów mikrobiologicznych, służąc jako wnikliwy model mikrobiologii środowiskowej i cyklu biogeochemicznego.

Kolumna Winogradskiego

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

Mikrobiologia

Unit

Jednostka

Microbial Ecology

Ekologia mikroorganizmów

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

KLUCZOWE TERMINY I POJĘCIA

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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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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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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