The History of Bergey’s Manual -- On Using the Manual -- Procaryotic Domains -- Classification of Procaryotic Organisms and the Concept of Bacterial Speciation -- Identification of Procaryotes -- Numerical Taxonomy -- Polyphasic Taxonomy -- Overview: A Phylogenetic Backbone and Taxonomic Framework for Procaryotic Systematics -- Nucleic Acid Probes and Their Application in Environmental Microbiology -- Bacterial Nomenclature -- Etymology in Nomenclature of Procaryotes -- Microbial Ecology—New Directions, New Importance -- Culture Collections: An Essential Resource for Microbiology -- Intellectual Property of Procaryotes -- Anoxygenic Phototrophic Purple Bacteria -- Aerobic Bacteria Containing Bacteriochlorophyll And Belonging To The Alphaproteobacteria -- Nitrifying Bacteria -- The Lithoautotrophic Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria -- The Lithoautotrophic Nitrite-Oxidizing Bacteria -- Bacteria that Respire Oxyanions of Chlorine -- The Revised Road Map to the Manual.

Includes introductory chapters on classification of prokaryotes, the concept of bacterial species, numerical and polyphasic taxonomy, bacterial nomenclature and the etymology of prokaryotic names, nucleic acid probes and their application in environmental microbiology, culture collections, and the intellectual property of prokaryotes. The first Road Map to the prokaryotes is included as well as an overview of the phylogenetic backbone and taxonomic framework for prokaryotic systematics.