A Cartoon History of Soil Microbiology M. S. Coyne* ABSTRACT particularly endearing because they convey their message Students reviewing the history of soil microbiology may see while making us laugh (either inwardly or outwardly). Gary great microbiologists as icons rather than real people. I employ Larsen's portrayal of science and weird science in The Far cartoons to present a historical perspective of soil microbiolo- Side cartoon and Sidney Harris' sophisticated analyses of gy that makes this information more entertaining and conse- industrial science are classic examples of the genre. They're quently more palatable to introductory students. Basic histori- funny while simultaneously conveying either the principles, cal facts and major accomplishments of the pioneering soil foibles, or stereotypes of scientists and their science. microbiologists are present in a factual but tongue-in-cheek Much of the humor in these cartoons lies in knowing survey. The material is either presented as a slide show in class enough science to appreciate the jokes. For several years or as a part of a manual students may read at their leisure. I've been using cartoons to illustrate microbial principles for Comments about this approach have generally been favorable, students taking introductory soil microbiology at the but it lacks a rigorous test demonstrating whether it achieves University of Kentucky. What follows is a presentation I use its intended goal. This type of multimedia presentation should to introduce these students to the history of soil microbiolo- have potential application to a wider range of introductory gy and the key players who made the discipline what it is course material. today. It's written specifically for students following a prepackaged slide show, either independently or in class. The presentation isn't intended as a substitute for a true his- TUDENTS in introductory soil microbiology should be tory. Several suitable reviews already accomplish that pur- Sable to appreciate its place within the context of other pose (Allison, 1961; Clark, 1977). Rather, it's an attempt to natural sciences after being introduced to its intellectual place the development of soil microbiology in a relevant past. However, this exercise fails if accomplishments of out- human context using humor as a vehicle. standing microbiologists seem like unattainable standards. Students may see pioneer microbiologists as icons rather A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF than as role models. Consequently, one challenge in giving SOIL MICROBIOLOGY a historical survey of soil microbiology is to present that his- tory in a way that is both relevant and unintimidating. The Glossary of Soil Science Terms (SSSA, 1987) says In an era of multimedia presentations, it's easy to over- that soil microbiology is "the branch of soil science con- look the usefulness of cartoons. They're models of simplic- cerned with soil inhabiting microorganisms, their functions, ity; and they encapsulate messages and images within limit- and activities." But what does that really tell us about soil ed space and with limited words. Humorous cartoons are microbiologists? Who are these people? What do they do? Where do they come from? Department of Agronomy, N122 Agricultural Science Building North, The last question is a crucial one if we want to explore Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546-0091. Contribution of the soil microbiology. Do soil microbiologists emerge, fully Kentucky Agric. Exp. Stn. Received 7 Oct. 1994. 'Corresponding author grown, from benchtop petri plates (Fig. 1)? No. Modern soil ([email protected]). microbiologists are the heirs of a long scientific tradition. Published in J. Nat. Resourc. Life Sci. Educ. 25:30-36 (1996). So, in this article, we'll take a brief tour through the history 30 • J. Nat Resour. Life Sci. Educ., Vol. 25, no. 1, 1996 WHATLEEUWENHOEK SAW. WHATTHE ANIMACULES SAW. t Fig.1. OHginof microbiologists. Fig. 3. Leeuwenhoekdiscovers microbes. SALMON ;ERGEI LOUIS WAKSMANWINDYGRADSKY PASTURE Fig. 2. Seminalmoments in soil biochemistry. Fig. 4. Whenfamous microbiologists’ names are mispronounced. of soil microbiology. Knowingwhere soil microbiologists century neighbors rarely brushed, wereless likely to floss, have been in the past will makeit easier to understandthem and hardly ever wentto their dentist (given the state of i:len- in the present, and predict whatthey’ll do in the future. tistry in the 17th century, prior knowledgethat the local bar- ber-surgeon might draw a pint of blood and then look at THE EARLY YEARS your teeth wasnot an incentive to go for annual checkups). After Leeuwenhoek’sdeath, years passed while scientists Soil microbiologists date back to the beginningsof agri- like Lazzaro Spallanzani (1729-1799) and John Needham culture whenthe first cave man(or cave lady) noticed that (1713-1781) debated whether or not microbes were sponta- organic matter madeplants growa lot better. Youcould say neouslygenerated. Althoughthis seemslike a waste of time, that they were the first soil microbiologists observing the it was a useful exercise in developing what passed for the effects of microbial decompositionat work (Fig. 2). Soil scientific method in the 17th and 18th centuries: state microbiologists, unrecognized as such, were fermenting hypothesis, test hypothesis, revise hypothesis, savage any- grain in ancient Egypt. Eventually, Robert Hooke one whodisagrees with your hypothesis. (1635-1703), a memberof the Royal Society in England, got around to writing a soil microbiology book. It was a THE GREAT AGE OF RESEARCH monographpublished in 1665 that described microscopic moldsand spores for the first time. The next great era in soil microbiology research opened Mostpeople wouldagree, however,that this history real- in the mid 19th and early 20th centuries with the work of ly begins with Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek(1632-1723). soil microbiologists like Sergei Winogradsky,Louis Pasteur, was a 17th century janitor and part-time lens grinder in and Selman Waksman(Fig. 4). Delft, Holland, who made the first microscopes good Sergei Winogradsky (1856-1953) was from Mother enoughto resolve microbesas small as bacteria (Fig. 3). Russia, but he’s called "The Father of Soil Microbiology" Leeuwenhoekwasn’t shy about what he looked at with because: he was a man,and he discoveredlots of interesting his microscopesand this meant that someof his most inter- things before anyone else did. Winogradskydeveloped the esting samplescame from stuff he scraped off of his neigh- WinogradskyColumn while studying the sulfur cycle. He bors’ teeth. This isn’t surprising since Leeuwenhoek’s17th investigated microbial growth on CO2 and inorganic ions J. Nat. Resour.Life Sci. Educ.,VoL 25, no. 1, 1996¯ 31 NON! NON/ I MUZTZ’I’AYAND ILOU J, MON -1DIEU. ZAMPLEANOTHER COMETO BED~ -- BOTTLE. EET EEZ FOR ~E! SANTACLAUS MRS. CLAUS CLOSTRIDIUM ~ Fi ~. 5. Clostridium. Fig. 7. Thetesting of pasteurization. / THINK OF IT MONSIEUR T THULLIER! YOU CAN CHOOSE BETWEEN ~ STUDYING RABID ~ ~ LERA ~ Fig. 6. Investigatingthe animalrumen. Fig. 8. Workingwith Pasteurwas no fun. (chemoautotrophy). He studied nitrification (a microbial reputation for himself by separating crystals of tartaric acid process where NH,~ is ultimately converted into NO~). into mirror image isomers. This was boring, so he soon took Nitrobacter winogradskii, one of the nitrifying bacteria, is up microbiology. Pasteur is noted for the process that bears named after Sergei Winogradsky. his name. He tried to use pasteurization to make French beer the best in the world (Fig. 7). Naturally, this was impossible You know you’ve made it in microbiology when your friends name a microbe after you. (which made Pasteur irritable). Pasteur also didn’t like beer You know what they really think about you if it’s a pathogen. (which made him even more irritable). Those who really suffered because Pasteur was brilliant Winogradsky investigated chemoautotrophic oxidation and irritable were his students. For example, Louis Thuillier of ferrous iron (ferrous iron is the reduced form of ferric was one of Pasteur’s best students. He never became famous iron, an essential component of rust--the material your for developing the rabies vaccine with Pasteur because, after joints turn into the momentyou turn 30). Winogradsky also years of back-breaking labor inoculating French cattle and isolated Clostridium, an anaerobic (growing without air), sheep with Pasteur’s attenuated Anthrax vaccine, Thuillier spore-forming, nitrogen-fixing (converting 2 t o NH3) went to Egypt (at Pasteur’s request) and promptly died bacilli (rod-shaped bacterium) (Fig. 5). Wesee the fruits cholera (Fig. 8). his pioneering work with anaerobes in modern research with Whenyou’re feeling blue, just think of Pasteur’s stu- obligately anaerobic microbes in special environments such dents. Whatever mindless, boring thing you have to do, at as the animal rumen (Fig. 6). least your professor didn’t ask you to collect rabid dog spit Winogradsky’s anaerobic, nitrogen-fixing cocci wasn’t with a mouth pipette. named Clostridium winogradskii, because Winogradsky did much of his work at an institute named for another great Pasteur once said, "Chance favors the well-prepared microbiologist of this era--Louis Pasteur (and his friends mind." Pasteur only took multiple-choice exams. named Clostridium pasteurianum and other, nastier microbes after him). After the Franco-Prussian War, Pasteur developed a con- Pasteur (1822-1895) was a giant in the early age of soil suming hatred for Germany