630 Microbiology for Teachers

Microbial Ecology Lecture Outlines

Microbial Ecology Concepts

Ecosystem

• Habitat

   

• Niche

   

Symbiosis

• Parasitism
  • definition

     

  • example - infections

     

• Commensalism
  • definition

     

  • example - Clostridium

     

• Mutualism
  • definition

     

  • examples:
    • Escherichia coli

       

    • lichens

       

    • protozoan endosymbiosis

        

    • rumen ectosymbiosis

       

       

Microorganisms in Nature

Microenvironment

Surface Attachment

Nutrients

Growth Rates

Competition

Food Chain

Biogeochemical Cycles

Carbon redox cycle

• carbon reservoirs

   

• carbon reduction

   

• carbon oxidation

   

  • organic substrate utilization

     

  • competition

     

  • cooperation

     

Nitrogen redox cycle

• nitrogen reservoirs

   

• assimilative nitrogen metabolism
  • nitrogen fixation

     

  • nitrate reduction

     

• dissimilative nitrogen metabolism

   

  • nitrate reduction

     

  • nitrification

     

  • denitrification

     

Sulfur redox cycle

• sulfur reservoirs

   

• sulfur oxidation

   

• sulfur reduction

   

  • dissimilative sulfate reduction

     

  • assimilative sulfate reduction

     

Iron redox cycle

• iron oxidizing bacteria

   

• iron reducing bacteria

   

Impact of Metals on Microbes

• noble metals

   

• heavy metals

Resource Utilization and Succession

Terrestrial Habitats

Soil formation and characteristics

• soil formation

   

• soil characteristics

   

Plant-Microbe Interactions

• rhizosphere

   

  • bacterial associations
    • Rhizobium or Bradyrhizobium
      • symbiosis establishment

         

      • basis of symbiosis

         

    • Frankia

       

    • free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria

       

  • fungal associations

     

  • tripartite associations

     

• phyllosphere

   

  • ice-nucleating activity

     

  • plant infections

     

    • plant disease resistance

       

    • crown gall disease

       

Aquatic Habitats

Typical organisms

• phototrophs

   

• chemotrophs

   

Productivity in various aquatic environments

• oceans

   

• lakes

   

• rivers

   

Disruption of aquatic environments

• eutrophication

   

• thermal stratification

   

• oxygen stratification

   

Environmental Applications

Wastewater (including sewage) treatment

• primary treatment

   

• secondary treatment

   

  • aerobic decomposition processes

     

  • anaerobic decomposition process

     

• tertiary treatment

   

Drinking Water

• derivation

   

• purification

   

• indicators of fecal contamination

   

Biodegradation and Bioremediation

• natural products

   

  • petroleum

     

  • biodegradable plastics

     

• xenobiotics

   

  • PCBs

     

  • PAHs

     

  • pesticides

     

• Genetically engineered microbes in bioremediation

   

   

Extreme Habitats

Variables

Yellowstone National Park

Deep-sea environment

• Deep-sea floor

   

• Hydrothermal vents

   

   

Antarctic Environments