The Biolog Plates Technique as a Tool in Ecological Studies of Microbial Communities

Abstract

The Biolog technique was introduced into ecological studies to estimate metabolic potential of microbial com - munities. w hile utilizing carbon substrates (95 or 31x3, depending on the plate type), microbes reduce a colourless dye to violet formazan. The colour is measured spectrophotometrically. This is a rapid and quite convenient method but it has many drawbacks - for example, only microbes that are cultivable and able to grow in high-nutrient condi - tions contribute to substrate utilization. The method was used mainly to investigate microbial communities from bulk and rhizosphere soil and to estimate the impact of stressors on soil microbial communities.