Probabilistic features of the proliferation of soil bacteria.

Abstract

Proliferation of bacteria at microsites of soil structure are rare events. Bacteria dispersed into soil suspension proliferate in the same way in capillary tubes and on plates, and colony formation of soil bacteria on counting plates was expected to follow the equation. In (N0-N) = In N0 - .lambda.t where N0 is the number of bacteria capable of forming colonies, N, that of colonies found at time t and .lambda. a parameter. Various data on plate counting fit the equation. Size distribution of colonies on counting plates is explained from a statistical view.