Chapter 1: Introduction to Microbes and Their Building Blocks Flashcards
Microorganisms include…
Viruses Bacteria / archaea Fungus Protozoa Algae Helminths
What cells can viruses infect?
All living cells
Are viruses alive?
NO
Microbes reproduce….
Rapidly
Bacterial-type organisms have been on the planet for about _________ years
3.5 billion
Bacteria were the only living inhabitants on Earth for about…
2 billion years
Do prokaryotes have a true nucleus?
No
Eukaryotic organisms arose about….
1.8 million years ago
Eu-kary means..
True nucleus
Eukaryotic organisms are precursors to organisms that…
Eventually formed multicellular animals
What does it mean when it is said that microbes are “ubiquitous”?
They are everywhere, found in Earth’s crust, polar ice caps, oceans and the bodies of plants and animals
Microbes occur in large numbers. They have a large _______ and large _______
Biomass
Biodiversity
What are extremophiles?
Microbes that live in locations where other organisms cannot survive
Anoxygenic photosynthesis
Light- fueled conversion of carbon dioxide to organic material that does not produce oxygen
Oxygenic photosynthesis
Light-fueled conversion of carbon dioxide to organic material that does not produce oxygen
What is the source of oxygen on the planet?
Oxygenic photosynthesis
Oxygenic photosynthesis led to….
The use of oxygen for aerobic respiration
Photosynthetic microorganisms account for ____ of the Earth’s photosynthesis
70%
Microbes are the main forces that drive the _______ and _______ of the soil, water and atmosphere
Structure
Content
Microbes produce gasses such as CO2, NO, and CH3 that regulate the..
Temperature of the Earth
The enormous underground community of microbes influence ________, __________ and _________
Weathering
Mineral extraction
Soil formation
Bacteria and fungi live in close associations with plants that help them….
Obtain nutrients and protect them against disease