Bruce Bleakley (click to email)

Northern Plains Biostress Laboratory 251C

(605) 688-5498

South Dakota State University
Plant Science Department
Box 2140C
Brookings, SD 57007

Dr. Bleakley has a joint appointment within the Biology/Microbiology Department. His research program focuses on soil microbiology. Studies include characterization of soil microbial communities using molecular biological techniques in concert with classic methods such as plate counts and direct microscopy. He also uses molecular techniques to help characterize microbial communities in wetland soils, in different tillage management systems, and in different size classes of soil aggregates. Molecular methods are also used as an approach to verify presence of microbes used as biological control agents to combat insect and fungal pests of crops. 

Research Interests: (Soil microbiology, microbial ecology; environmental microbiology)

· Microbial processes in Prairie Pothole wetlands, including denitrification and sulfate reduction

· Characterization of microbial communities in various environments (wetlands, arid soils, etc.)

· Bacterial source tracking of E. coli in terrestrial and aquatic environments

· Biological control of plant diseases (including Fusarium Head Blight of wheat) with beneficial bacteria and mechanisms of antagonism of the biocontrol bacteria

· Study of the terrestrial luminescent bacterial genus Photorhabdus (Xenorhabdus luminescens)

· Study of actinomycetes, especially the genus Streptomyces