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Starvation and penetration of bacteria in soils and rocks

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Summary

The soil and subsurface strata are low nutrient environments and their bacterial inhabitants must adopt starvation responses to survive. These responses include the formation of dormant, viable cells which, although reduced in cell size and volume, are able to respond to any improvement in nutrient availability. Starved bacteria are able to survive for extended periods without nutrients and their reduced size allows them to disperse deeply within rocks and soils greatly improving their penetration. These combined factors may increase opportunities for bacteria to reach a deep waste disposal site.

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  1. H. M. Lappin-Scott

    Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Exeter, Hatherly Laboratories, EX4 4PS, Exeter, England

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, T2N 1N4, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    H. M. Lappin-Scott & J. W. Costerton

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Lappin-Scott, H.M., Costerton, J.W. Starvation and penetration of bacteria in soils and rocks. Experientia 46, 807–812 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01935529

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