Winogradsky Column

Compiled by Sarah Bordenstein, Marine Biological Laboratory

The Winogradsky Column is an excellent activity, specifically for grades 5 - 12, to demonstrate the growth of microorganisms. As a result of this activity, students will:

learn about the metabolic diversity of prokaryotes, applying terms such as phototroph, chemotroph, autotroph, and heterotroph.
observe the cycling of mineral elements in natural environments, particularly sulfur.
discover how microbes occupy a highly specific niche depending on environmental tolerance and energy requirements.

Building a Winogradsky Column is both inexpensive and effective, offering students a memorable hands-on experience. To incorporate it into your classroom, you should allow about 3 months to see observable growth patterns. The resources below will help you get started. Have fun in the mud!

Online Resources

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Schematic view of a typical Winogradsky Column. Image credit: Jim Deacon, University of Edinburgh

Building a Winogradsky Column Video Demonstration. This five-minute Quick Time video demonstrates how to build a Winogradsky Column. The video is published by NASA Quest and can be used as a teaching supplement to... (more info)
Building a Winogradsky Column: An Educator Guide with Activities in Astrobiology. This 27-page educator guide is a NASA Quest resource about Microbial Ecology and related Astrobiology activities. Students will construct a Winogradsky Column to observe... (more info)
Investigating Bacteria with the Winogradsky Column . This is an instructor's guide to teaching about biodiversity in the microbial world. This activity encourages students to investigate bacteria using a... (more info)
Soil & Windogradsky Column Hotlist . This is an Internet hotlist on the Windogradsky column. Published by a high school teacher, it includes links to soil profiles, soil taxonomy, and Winogradsky Columns. (more info)
The Microbial World: Winogradsky Column- Perpetual Life in a Tube. This Winogradsky column web page is designed to teach undergraduate students a simple model system of nutrient cycling in natural waters. It includes a physical... (more info)
The Winogradsky Column: An Animated Tutorial. This five-minute animated tutorial describes Winogradsky columns. The tutorial shows how to create a Winogradsky Column, describes the various layers and types of microbes... (more info)
Winogradsky Columns. This is an exercise about Winogradsky Columns with emphasis placed on the formation and properties of microbial biofilms. It includes background reference... (more info)

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For more information about Winogradsky Columns, search the Microbial Life collection.

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