ABSTRACT
Oxygen availability is an important factor in the regulation of bacterial behavior and distribution in the environment, so it is an important parameter for bacterial cultivation. Low-oxygen or even anaerobic conditions are found below the oxygenated surface waters of lakes and oceans and, except for the deep sea, aquatic sediments are anoxic below a thin oxidized surface layer. The oxygen-sensitive bacteria must be cultivated under controlled atmosphere. The methods developed for their cultivation are specifically directed toward the total or limited exclusion of molecular oxygen. Collection and transportation of samples is vital to the success of subsequent examination. Identical sampling procedures can be used for studying both microaerophilic and anaerobic microflora. Semisolid culture media are used to investigate the growth of oxygen-sensitive bacteria. The method, which was devised by R. E. Hungate for isolation of rumen bacteria, has undergone numerous modifications and improvements since the original description.
