Objective
Study the microbial communities present in different soil types.
Materials
- Soil samples (clay, sand, loam)
- Petri dishes
- Agar
- Sterile swabs
- Microscope
- Notebook for observations
Instructions
- Collect soil samples from different locations, ensuring they are of different types (e.g., clay, sand, loam).
- Prepare Petri dishes with agar.
- Use sterile swabs to collect a small amount of soil from each sample.
- Streak the swab onto the agar in separate Petri dishes.
- Incubate the Petri dishes at room temperature for several days.
- Observe the growth of microbial colonies using a microscope.
- Record the types and quantities of microbes observed in each dish in a notebook.
- Compare the microbial communities in different soil types and draw conclusions about soil biodiversity.