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Title: Numerical taxonomy and ecology of petroleum-degrading bacteria

Abstract

A total of 99 strains of petroleum-degrading bacteria isolated from Chesapeake Bay water and sediment were identified by using numerical taxonomy procedures. The isolates, together with 33 reference cultures, were examined for 48 biochemical, cultural, morphological, and physiological characters. The data were analyzed by computer, using both the simple matching and the Jaccard coefficients. Clustering was achieved by the unweighted average linkage method. From the sorted similarity matrix and dendrogram, 14 phenetic groups, comprising 85 of the petroleum-degrading bacteria, were defined at the 80 to 85% similarity level. These groups were identified as actinomycetes (mycelial forms, four clusters), coryneforms, Enterobacteriaceae, Klebsiella aerogenes, Micrococcus spp. (two clusters), Nocardia species (two clusters), Pseudomonas spp. (two clusters), and Sphaerotilus natans. It is concluded that the degradation of petroleum is accomplished by a diverse range of bacterial taxa, some of which were isolated only at given sampling stations and, more specifically, from sediment collected at a given station.

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Maryland, College Park
OSTI Identifier:
5166159
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 34:1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; 02 PETROLEUM; BACTERIA; TAXONOMY; PETROLEUM; BIODEGRADATION; BIOCHEMISTRY; CHESAPEAKE BAY; DECOMPOSITION; ECOLOGY; MARYLAND; MORPHOLOGY; PHYSIOLOGY; ATLANTIC OCEAN; BIOLOGY; CHEMICAL REACTIONS; CHEMISTRY; ENERGY SOURCES; FOSSIL FUELS; FUELS; MICROORGANISMS; NORTH AMERICA; SEAS; SURFACE WATERS; USA; 560302* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Microorganisms- (-1987); 020900 - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects

Citation Formats

Austin, B, Calomiris, J J, Walker, J D, and Colwell, R R. Numerical taxonomy and ecology of petroleum-degrading bacteria. United States: N. p., 1977. Web.
Austin, B, Calomiris, J J, Walker, J D, & Colwell, R R. Numerical taxonomy and ecology of petroleum-degrading bacteria. United States.
Austin, B, Calomiris, J J, Walker, J D, and Colwell, R R. 1977. "Numerical taxonomy and ecology of petroleum-degrading bacteria". United States.
@article{osti_5166159,
title = {Numerical taxonomy and ecology of petroleum-degrading bacteria},
author = {Austin, B and Calomiris, J J and Walker, J D and Colwell, R R},
abstractNote = {A total of 99 strains of petroleum-degrading bacteria isolated from Chesapeake Bay water and sediment were identified by using numerical taxonomy procedures. The isolates, together with 33 reference cultures, were examined for 48 biochemical, cultural, morphological, and physiological characters. The data were analyzed by computer, using both the simple matching and the Jaccard coefficients. Clustering was achieved by the unweighted average linkage method. From the sorted similarity matrix and dendrogram, 14 phenetic groups, comprising 85 of the petroleum-degrading bacteria, were defined at the 80 to 85% similarity level. These groups were identified as actinomycetes (mycelial forms, four clusters), coryneforms, Enterobacteriaceae, Klebsiella aerogenes, Micrococcus spp. (two clusters), Nocardia species (two clusters), Pseudomonas spp. (two clusters), and Sphaerotilus natans. It is concluded that the degradation of petroleum is accomplished by a diverse range of bacterial taxa, some of which were isolated only at given sampling stations and, more specifically, from sediment collected at a given station.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5166159}, journal = {Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 34:1,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1977},
month = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1977}
}