Field Guide to Bacteria

Betsey Dexter Dyer is Professor of Biology at Wheaton College. She is coauthor of Tracing the History of Eukaryotic Cells and coeditor of The Origin of Eukaryotic Cells, both with Robert Obar.

A wonderful addition to any amateur naturalist's library. It is a witty and comprehensive look at a neglected subject by someone who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the material.... I can recommend this book without hesitation to amateur naturalists, educators, and parents as a key to unlocking the door to better understanding the world around them.- Jerry W. Kram (Society of Amateur Scientists E-Bulletin) Despite being the most abundant and diverse organisms on Earth, bacteria are easily overlooked, cryptic, and challenging to identify.... To open the door to simple study and appreciation of bacteria, Dyer describes macroscopic attributes that allow the field identification of nearly every major group.... The book includes ideas for field trips to explore bacterial assemblages in their natural environments (from hot springs to kitchens, urban settings to tropical forests).(Science) This isn't a book on how to avoid E. coli and other nefarious bacteria that invade our food and homes, but an amateur naturalist's guide to all sorts of bacteria that can be seen (and smelled) without a microscope, from their habitats (hot springs, marine mud flats, even urban areas), to how to recognize and identify them in all their remarkable diversity. After all, the author reminds us, bacteria are 'the most predominant organisms on Earth,' and she even recommends taking a 'bacteriocentric' point of view in order to understand them. All the major groupings are covered, along with information on how to culture bacteria, use a microscope, and practice good safety precautions. More than 100 color illustrations will assist the happy bacteria hunter as well.(Publishers Weekly)