How Bacteria Function

Bacteria reproduce very rapidly. Replication in some kinds of [[KW]] Bacteria [[/KW]] takes only about 15 minutes under optimal conditions. One bacterial [[KW]] cell [[/KW]] can become two in 15 minutes, four in 30 minutes, eight in 45 minutes, and so on. Bacteria would quickly cover the entire face of the globe if their supply of nutrients was unlimited. Fortunately for us, competition for nutrients limits their spread. In the absence of sufficient nutrients, however, many bacteria form dormant spores that survive until nutrients become available again. Spore formation also enables these bacteria to survive other harsh conditions.