SES: Microbial Methods in Ecology

2011 Semester

Instructors:	Joseph Vallino (Starr 330, x7648, jvallino@mbl.edu) Julie Huber (Lillie 305, x7291, jhuber@mbl.edu)
TA:	Stefanie Strebel; (sstrebel@mbl.edu)

Listed below are lectures and other materials for the Microbial Methods in Ecology elective. See the Semester in Environmental Science web site for information on the overall course. This site will be updated as lectures and course materials become available.

Course Syllabus
Course Reading assignments
The 9th ed. of Brock can be ordered on amazon here for $12.00 including shipping, New.

Lectures

Note, these files are from last year unless marked at 2011. Files will be update as they are presented in class. Assigned readings below do not include those assigned in Brock, so check Reading Assignments above. The lecture notes are published here as pdf files, but can be obtained as power point files by contacting Joe Vallino.

Introduction (2011)
Bacterial Abundance (2011)

Additional Assigned Reading: Porter and Feig
Lab Procedures:

Lab Results (2011): Bacterial Abundance Lab

Bacterial Production (2011) (and Liquid Scintillation Counter)

Additional Assigned Reading: Simon and Azam
Radiation info:

Lab Procedure: Bacterial Production
Lab Results (2011): Raw DPM Counts
Lab Results (2011): Calculated BP rates

Extracellular Enzyme Assays (2011)

Additional Assigned Reading: Lehninger
Additional Assigned Reading: Hoppe
Lab Procedure: Enzyme Assay
Results: Enzyme Assays (2011)

Microbial Biogeochemistry: Metabolism in Winogradsky columns (2011)

Examples of different types of transport phenomena
Lab Procedures:

Results:

Microbial Food Webs: Flagellate and ciliate grazing on bacteria (2011)

Additional Assigned Reading: Azam et al.
Additional Assigned Reading: Caron
Lab procedures: Microbial Grazers

Molecular Techniques: PCR

Lecture for Days 1 & 2, and Day 3 (2011).
Additional Assigned Reading: Head et al.
Additional Assigned Reading: MoBio (read pp. 5, 9-12)
Lab procedures: Molecular Lab Day 1, Day 2

Microbial Food Webs: Bacteria-phytoplankton competition (2010)

Additional Assigned Reading: Caron et al.

Problem Sets

PS#1 - Introduction
PS#2 - Bacterial Abundance
PS#3 - Bacterial Production
PS#4 - Extracellular Enzyme Assays
PS#5 - Microbial Biogeochemistry
PS#6 - Microbial Food Webs
PS#7 - Molecular Lab

Some Past Experimental Results

Interesting Links

Microbial mat at Great Sippewissett Saltmarsh, MA.

Winogradsky columns (archived)

The Microbial World (archived)

Digital learning center for microbial ecology

EPA Info on coliform counts (See chapter 17)

Protist images

Introduction to Freshwater microorganisms

Harmful algal blooms

Archaea that grows at autoclave temperatures!

Micrographia. Site contains many images and descriptions on microorganisms

Micro*scope here at MBLs

Micobial Life - Educational Resouces