Abstract:

         We screen two groups of composite microbial systems, MC-A1 and MC-N1, with stronger cellulose degrading capabilities from homemade compost heap and several natural fermentation materials by regular regeneration during incubation. MC-A1 is a composite thermophilic aerobic cellulolytic microbial community which is acquired by a subculture technique of shakeflaskfermentation broth, while MC-N1 is another composite microbial community with thermophilic anaerobic cellulolytic capability which is obtained by static cultivation and regular regeneration. It is discovered that the degradation rates of communities MC-A1 and MC-N1 for wheatstraw powder can reach 42% and 38% within 96 h. Their quickest degradation rates occur between 48 h and 96 h, but these rates steeply decline after 96 h.This degradation rate can reach 47% by incubation of MC-A1 through 96 h shakeflaskfermentation and then incubation of MC-N1 through 96 h static cultivation. This demonstrates that these two cellulolytic microbial communities show cooperative function in the course of the degradation of nonnatural cellulose.