5. Microbes and the Immune System Flashcards
What is an Ecosystem?
A biological community of interacting organisms and chemical/environmental factors.
What is a Habitat?
Part of an ecosystem most suited to certain forms of life.
What is a Niche?
A small, specific area of habitat, rapid change can induce ‘feast or famine’ state.
What is species abundance?
The number of organisms.
What is species richness?
Diversity of organisms.
What does all life require?
Energy + Carbon
What is an autotroph?
An organism that can survive directly off of carbon, unlike heterotrophs.
What is a heterotroph?
An organism that has to acquire its carbon from other things like food.
What is Symbiosis?
Interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association.
What is Parasitism?
A form of symbiosis which is beneficial to one, but is disadvantageous to the other.
What is Mutualism?
A form of symbiosis which is beneficial to both organisms involved.
What is Commensalism?
A form of symbiosis between two organisms in which one benefits and the other neither benefits nor is harmed.
What is Quorum Sensing?
Bacteria sensing their population size and coordinating their behaviour accordingly.
What does Quorum Sensing rely on to sense the environment population?
Auto-inducers, they sense when a threshold has been reach and activate cellular processes.
What is a Biofilm?
Microorganisms adhering together to each other and or a surface, contained within an extracellular matrix.
What is Biofouling?
Fouling of underwater structures with micro/macro-organisms.
What is a Microbiome?
Large and mixed population of microorganisms coexisting together under many circumstances.
What is a Pathogen?
An organisms that causes damage and disease to the host. they are a much smaller group of organisms
What is a Primary Pathogen?
Organism causing disease in a healthy organism.