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Science 18 August 2006:
Vol. 313. no. 5789, p. 918
DOI: 10.1126/science.1126593
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Technical Comments

Comment on "Computational Improvements Reveal Great Bacterial Diversity and High Metal Toxicity in Soil"

John Bunge,1* Slava S. Epstein,2 Daniel G. Peterson3

Gans et al. (Reports, 26 August 2005, p. 1387) provided an estimate of soil bacterial species richness two orders of magnitude greater than previously reported values. Using a re-derived mathematical model, we reanalyzed the data and found that the statistical error exceeds the estimate by a factor of 26. We also note two potential sources of error in the experimental data collection and measurement procedures.

1 Department of Statistical Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
2 Department of Biology and Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
3 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jab18{at}cornell.edu

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)