Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 1, 2026

Visualizing Bacteria in Nematodes using Fluorescent Microscopy
Published on: October 19, 2012
[Effect of bacterivorous nematodes on bacteria population under gnotobiotic culture]
Xiaoyun Chen1, Feng Hu, Huixin Li
1College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. xiaoyunchl@163.com
Abstract:
A gnotobiotic microcosm experiment was conducted to study the influence of bacterivorous nematodes (Protorhabditis sp.) on bacteria (Pseudomonas fluorescens) population under different conditions including substrate concentration, oscillation pattern, and numbers of nematodes inoculated. When the bacteria were incubated under intermittent oscillation by hand (6 times at 0.5 h intervals, 22 degrees C), their growth was stimulated in the presence of nematoedes, and the bacteria grew faster with the increase of nematode numbers and substrate (liquid potato-sucrose medium) concentration. However, when the incubation was under continuous oscillation (100 rpm, 22 degrees C), bacteria population was deflated with the addition of nematodes, and the inhibition was greater when a higher concentration of substrate was used. It was found that the stimulation or inhibition of bacteria population by nematodes occurred in the logarithmic stage of bacteria growth. The optimal and over-grazing of nematodes on regulating bacteria population was discussed.
Related Concept Videos
The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition
Microbial Interactions: Cooperation
Microbial Interactions: Predation
Microbial Interactions: Parasitism

