Biological Clsfn. Monera Flashcards
What is the Kingdom Monera primarily composed of?
Bacteria
Bacteria are the sole members of the Kingdom Monera and are the most abundant micro-organisms.
Where can bacteria be found?
Almost everywhere
Bacteria are present in a handful of soil and extreme habitats such as hot springs, deserts, snow, and deep oceans.
What are the four categories of bacteria based on their shape?
Coccus, Bacillus, Vibrium, Spirillum
The shapes are spherical (Coccus), rod-shaped (Bacillus), comma-shaped (Vibrium), and spiral (Spirillum).
What type of nutritional strategy do autotrophic bacteria use?
They synthesize their own food from inorganic substrates
Autotrophic bacteria can be photosynthetic or chemosynthetic.
What are heterotrophic bacteria dependent on for food?
Other organisms or dead organic matter
Heterotrophs make up the vast majority of bacteria.
What are Archaebacteria known for?
Living in harsh habitats
They include halophiles, thermoacidophiles, and methanogens.
What unique feature distinguishes Archaebacteria from other bacteria?
Different cell wall structure
This feature enables their survival in extreme conditions.
What role do methanogens play in the ecosystem?
Production of methane (biogas)
Methanogens are found in the gut of ruminant animals like cows and buffaloes.
What characterizes Eubacteria?
Presence of a rigid cell wall and flagellum
Eubacteria are also known as true bacteria.
What are cyanobacteria also referred to as?
Blue-green algae
They are photosynthetic autotrophs with chlorophyll a.
What is the ecological role of chemosynthetic autotrophic bacteria?
Oxidizing inorganic substances for ATP production
They recycle nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, iron, and sulfur.
What is a significant role of heterotrophic bacteria in nature?
Decomposers
They are important for nutrient cycling and have a significant impact on human affairs.
Fill in the blank: The majority of heterotrophic bacteria are important _______.
decomposers
They contribute to the breakdown of organic matter.
