A Comparative Study of Microbial Community

The purpose of this project is to compare the microbial communities of the 33 yearold reclaimed soil at the Monahan with the original soil at the O''Malley. The data collected in this project investigates whether there is a correlation between soil age and the soil microbial community. Using soil DNA analysis is one way we can compare soil microbial communities. Soil DNA was isolated from multiple samples from two sites (reclaimed and an undisturbed soils) using DNA isolation kit. Using the community DNA as a template eubacterial archaeal and fungal DNA fragments were PCR amplified using specific-primers. Attempts were made to clone the purified amplicon. Another approach based on culturable isolates was also followed. In parallel to the culture-independent molecular technique the soil samples from the undisturbed site processed to identify bacterial isolates on culture media. The isolates obtained were compared to already isolated and identified bacterial isolates from the reclaimed site using restriction-fragment length polymorphism. The bacterial concentration was also compared with that of reclaimed soil samples.