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Microbial diversity is a key component for microbes growth found at different altitudes. Microbes morphologies are dependent on the roles they need to perform to survive in their habitat. Different altitudes provide specific nutrients to the microbes, such as; microbes found near the soil will be influenced by the soil environment which may affect the microbial residues. By analyzing the biodiversity of microbes using colony morphology at different altitudes, we can study which community is more diverse and attribute to the ecological demands of an organism.
After collecting and recording the data for the microbes found at different altitudes, using the Shannon Weiner Diversity Index, we were able to calculate that microbes found at higher altitude had greater Shannon Index, therefore, are considered more diverse than lower altitude microbes. Based on the result, we concluded that this community needs a more diverse environment for a variety of reason including better ecosystem services and biological services.
A natural environment is populated with many microorganisms which are based or found in air, water, soil etc.
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Understanding the patterns of microorganisms biodiversity is important since these organisms accommodate the majority of Earth’s species diversity. Microbes are an excellent source of decomposition which enable us to understand how species work together to sustain the ecosystems. They establish themselves in habitats which are rich in organic matter such as soils, rivers, oceans, and other organisms, this is where microbes get the foundation to contribute to the flow of nutrients in their respective ecosystems.
Litter and soil organic matter decomposition depend on three main interacting groups of factors: chemical, physical and biotic factors. (José A. Siles et al, 2016). The importance of soil microorganisms in this process is clear since they mediate 85–90% of decomposition (José A. Siles et al. 2016). As the microbes found in lower altitudes contribute to the environment by performing decomposition, but doesn’t have as much nutrients compared to the ones found at higher altitudes. Lower altitude microbe’s activity is dependent on substrate quantity and quality as well as on environmental conditions, such as temperature, moisture, pH, soil type or soil depth (José A. Siles et al. 2016).
In this experiment, we can measure the growth of microbes in found at different altitudes and test whether there is a greater biodiversity of different microbial species in one habitat compared to the other. There were two microbial communities that were collected from a tree; one community was collect near the soil, end of a tree’s leave with a swab, whereas the other one was collected from the top of the tree. Microbes found at higher altitude are assumed to have a higher abundance of growth and diversity than in the lower altitude because of the presence of open environment, wind exposure etc., so our hypothesis is that this ecosystem will show greater microbial diversity.
The agar plate was divided into three sections. To collect samples from the leaves, a swab was dipped in sterile water. For microbes from a lower altitude leaf (near the soil), a swab was gently wiped across the surface of the agar plate in a zig-zag pattern. The same method was used to collect microbes from a higher altitude leaf (from the top of the tree). The agar plates were sealed with Para film strips and labeled for identification. After placing the plates in their respective environments, microbial growth was observed after one week.
The microbial diversity at lower altitude (soil) consisted of five different species, with a total colony count of 36 organisms. The most abundant species was species C, characterized by a cream color, flat morphology, and a glistening surface.
| Species | Description | Abundance |
|---|---|---|
| A | White, raised, glistening | 5 |
| B | Yellow, raised, glistening | 1 |
| C | Cream, flat, glistening | 25 |
| D | Black, umbonate, dull | 4 |
| E | Cream, flat | 1 |
Species A had an abundance of 5, species B had 1, species D had 4, and Species E had 1. Species A covered 33% of the agar plate with an average size of 3.5mm. The density for species B was 16%, C at 17%, D at 10%, and E at 16%.
In the higher altitude community, there were three different species, with a total colony count of 27 microbes. The most abundant species in this community was also species C, with 18 microbes. Species A had 3 organisms, and D had 6.
| Species | Description | Abundance |
|---|---|---|
| A | White, raised, glistening | 3 |
| C | Cream, flat, glistening | 18 |
| D | Black, umbonate, dull | 6 |
The species with the highest density in this community was C at 29%, followed by species A at 9%, and D at 7%.
The most abundant species in both communities was species C, characterized by a smooth circular shape, glistening surface, and cream color with flat elevation. This species also had a relatively high density in both cases, indicating its significant role in both ecosystems. Although the lower altitude community had five different species compared to three in the higher altitude community, it was not considered more biologically diverse.
Based on the Shannon Diversity Index, the lower altitude community had a greater index at 0.97, making it more biodiverse. However, the evenness for this community was lower than the higher altitude, indicating that the relationship between individuals and existing species is not proportional. Therefore, contrary to our hypothesis, lower altitude ecosystems appeared to have greater biodiversity than higher altitude ecosystems.
Microbes play a vital role in nutrient cycling and ecosystem sustainability. Higher microbial biodiversity indicates a better-sustained environment, with efficient decomposition, improved plant growth, soil structure, nitrogen fixation, and nutrient recycling. The results highlight the importance of microbial diversity in different altitudinal ecosystems.
In conclusion, our experiment revealed that lower altitude ecosystems had higher microbial diversity compared to higher altitude ecosystems. Despite having more species, the higher altitude community had lower overall biodiversity. Microbes at different altitudes contribute to ecosystem services, and their diversity plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and nutrient cycling.
Future research could employ genetic testing to identify specific microbial species and study how their morphology and population density relate to their ecological roles. Greater microbial biodiversity in an environment indicates its ability to sustain various ecological demands, making it essential for ecosystem health and productivity.
Lab Report: Microbial Diversity at Different Altitudes. (2024, Jan 02). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/document/lab-report-microbial-diversity-at-different-altitudes
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