Which is more abundant, fecal or total coliform?

Total coliform is a broader category of bacteria that includes many different types of bacteria, primarily found in the environment, soil, and on plants, as well as in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. Total coliform bacteria serve as an indicator of the overall quality of the water, suggesting that there might be contamination by fecal matter or other harmful pathogens.

Fecal coliform, on the other hand, refers specifically to a subset of total coliforms that originate from fecal material of warm-blooded animals. They are typically fewer in number and primarily indicate recent fecal contamination in water sources.

In most environments, particularly in natural bodies of water or in any system where vegetation or soil contributes to bacterial populations, total coliform bacteria will generally be found in much greater numbers than fecal coliform. This is due to their diverse sources and the fact that many species of total coliform thrive in the environment outside of fecal matter.

Therefore, the abundance of total coliform compared to fecal coliform is attributed to the vast variety of environments in which total coliform can grow, making it the more abundant group overall.