The Storage-related Phenomenon: Implications for Handling and Analysis of Subsurface Samples

Document Type

Book Section

Publication Date

1-10-2018

Publication Title

The Microbiology of the Terrestrial Deep Subsurface

Publisher

CRC Press

Publisher Location

Boca Raton

Edition

1

First page number:

61

Last page number:

74

Abstract

In efforts to characterize microbiology, ecologists have often attempted to obtain samples for microbiological analysis with as little disruption as possible (Deming and Colwell, 1985; Hirsch, 1992; Kinkel et al., 1992; Kruse and Iverson, 1995; Yayanos, 1995). Additionally, samples have often been stored in the dark, at temperatures believed to inhibit bacterial activity, during transport to the laboratory or until analysis could be initiated (Atlas and Bartha, 1987; Clesceri et al., 1989; Wollum, 1982). However, even when perturbation is minimized and samples are held at temperatures believed to be restrictive to microbial growth (commonly 10°C), successional changes in microbial communities can occur, causing what will be described as the 62storage-related phenomenon (SRP). These changes may include increased culturability, increased activity, and decreased diversity of microbiota with time, but may also result in the recovery of unique bacterial types only after the storage process (Haldeman et al., 1993,1995; Hirsch, 1992)

Keywords

Anaerobes; Community composition; Diversity; Dormancy; Freezing; Growth; Homogenization; Microbial redistribution; Moisture; Oxygen; Perturbation; Resuscitation; Sample handling; Storage-related phenomenon (SRP); Succession; Temperature; Viable but nonculturable

Disciplines

Microbiology

Language

English

UNLV article access

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