Aquatic Flashcards
What do aquatic environments include?
- oceans, salt marshes, lakes, rivers, ponds, springs
What are microbial species composition affected by in aquatic environments?
- physical and chemical characteristics of environments
Define marine
- open ocean
- low primary productivity due to inorganic nutrients
- low heterotrophic activity
Where does primary productivity occur?
open areas due to prochlorophytes
What is a prochlorophyte? Give an example
- use light for energy, small oxygenic prokaryotes
- ex. trichodesmium
Why wouldn’t you find heterotrophs in marine environments
they like organic material
Where are barophiles found?
high pressure environments
What are the 3 environmental extremes in the deep sea?
- low temp
- high pressure
- low nutrients
Why is there low nutrients in deep sea?
missing light and organic matter from plants
What does psychrophilic mean?
Bacteria at depths below 4000 m
What is the relative increase of pressure of deep sea?
1atm every 10m
What depths can barotolerant microorganisms survive? What about barophilic?
- up to 3000m
- 4000-6000m
What is the difference between warm and hot?
- Warm : 6-23C + flow rate of 0.5-2cm/sec
- Hot: 270-380C + flow rate of 1-2m/sec
What is a hydrothermal vent
- habitat for hyperthermophilic bacteria in gradient where hot and cold water meet
- large amounts of inorganic material
Give an example of a hyperthermophile found in a hydrothermal vent
- methanopyrus
- chemolithic