Sami A Al Yahya
King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia
Title: Studies on the microbiology and biogeochemistry of phosphate-rich soils
Biography
Biography: Sami A Al Yahya
Abstract
The aim of the work reported was to investigate the role of a range of micro-organisms in the functioning of the environment, particularly in relation to the biogeochemical cycles. At this point, a study was made of the microbial activity of phosphate soils in comparison with that displayed by a fertile agricultural soil. The microbial transformations studied included phosphate solubilisation, the oxidation of elemental sulphur to sulphate, nitrification and the hydrolysis of urea. These processes were collectively used to study the biogeochemical activity of soils. Bacterial population densities in the soils, fertile soils and phosphate soil, desert vegetated soil samples were also determined. A variety of bacterial isolates from phosphate soils, desert vegetated soil and desert non-vegetated soil samples have been identified using molecular identification techniques like DNA extraction, PCR amplification, determinations of 16SrRNA gene sequences.