Introduction Soils harbor a wide variety of microbial life.
Most soil organisms are responsible for decomposition and nutrient cycling.
Without these microorganisms, life on Earth would very quickly come to a halt. In this lab, we will attempt to isolate soil bacteria, algae and fungi. This lab introduces two new types of media. Rose bengal agar contains a bacterial inhibitor, and is selective for fungi. Actinomycetes and fungi often have similar outward appearances to the naked eye.