The Effect of Carbonic Acid on the Nitrogen Fixation Rate of Rhizobium leguminosarum
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
10th Grade
Presentation Topic
Microbiology
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
The Earth's climate is changing, and understanding the effects of climate change is critical to maintaining the global food supply. A component of the climate threat is the increasing prevalence of carbonic acid in all water sources. The rising prevalence of carbonic acid in the environment has negative impacts on many beneficial bacteria in oceans and bodies of freshwater, leading to the death of aquatic life and of crops that rely on these bacteria for important macronutrients. Rhizobium leguminosarum is a nitrogen-fixing bacterium that provides ammonia to legumes. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of carbonic acid on R. leguminosarum, which may improve the ability to predict the future impacts of climate change on the global food supply. It was hypothesized that increased carbonic acid levels would be detrimental to nitrogen-fixing, resulting in less ammonia in the mixture, indicated by a lowered pH value. R. leguminosarum was placed in consistently volumed vials of yeast-extract-mannitol (YEM) broth, a nutrient broth commonly used to cultivate soil microorganisms, and 0 mL, 0.25 mL, 0.50 mL, and 1.00 mL of carbonic acid to incubate for 72 hours. After incubation, the pH of each vial was determined using a pH probe. The highest volume of carbonic acid showed a decrease in pH, possibly suggesting a decrease in the nitrogen-fixing capacities of R. leguminosarum. The data also may suggest that lower volumes of carbonic acid may be beneficial to the nitrogen-fixing capacities of R. leguminosarum.
Recommended Citation
Carter, Jacob, "The Effect of Carbonic Acid on the Nitrogen Fixation Rate of Rhizobium leguminosarum" (2024). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 500.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2024/all/500
Location
RITA 387
Start Date
3-23-2024 9:00 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
Group Project
No
The Effect of Carbonic Acid on the Nitrogen Fixation Rate of Rhizobium leguminosarum
RITA 387
The Earth's climate is changing, and understanding the effects of climate change is critical to maintaining the global food supply. A component of the climate threat is the increasing prevalence of carbonic acid in all water sources. The rising prevalence of carbonic acid in the environment has negative impacts on many beneficial bacteria in oceans and bodies of freshwater, leading to the death of aquatic life and of crops that rely on these bacteria for important macronutrients. Rhizobium leguminosarum is a nitrogen-fixing bacterium that provides ammonia to legumes. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of carbonic acid on R. leguminosarum, which may improve the ability to predict the future impacts of climate change on the global food supply. It was hypothesized that increased carbonic acid levels would be detrimental to nitrogen-fixing, resulting in less ammonia in the mixture, indicated by a lowered pH value. R. leguminosarum was placed in consistently volumed vials of yeast-extract-mannitol (YEM) broth, a nutrient broth commonly used to cultivate soil microorganisms, and 0 mL, 0.25 mL, 0.50 mL, and 1.00 mL of carbonic acid to incubate for 72 hours. After incubation, the pH of each vial was determined using a pH probe. The highest volume of carbonic acid showed a decrease in pH, possibly suggesting a decrease in the nitrogen-fixing capacities of R. leguminosarum. The data also may suggest that lower volumes of carbonic acid may be beneficial to the nitrogen-fixing capacities of R. leguminosarum.
