In which phase of bacterial growth does growth cease due to nutrient exhaustion?

The stationary phase is the period in bacterial growth where the rate of new cell production is equal to the rate of cell death, leading to a plateau in the number of viable cells. This phase occurs after the logarithmic phase, where cells are rapidly dividing and consuming available nutrients. As nutrients become exhausted and waste products accumulate, the environment becomes less conducive for growth. Hence, the cessation of growth is primarily due to nutrient depletion and other environmental stresses. During this stationary phase, bacteria adjust to the limited resources, which can include ceasing division and entering a state of metabolic inactivity or slowing down their metabolic functions.

While the logarithmic phase is characterized by exponential growth, it is during the stationary phase that growth effectively stops because the resources necessary for continuous division are no longer sufficient. The lag phase, on the other hand, is when bacteria are adapting to a new environment rather than actively growing. Therefore, this phase is specifically linked with the constraints in nutrients and the eventual cessation of growth.