Chapter 11 - Microbial Ecosystems

Question 1

Interactions + exchanges of materials between organisms + their surrounding environment=

Answer 1

Ecosystems

Question 2

An ecosystem consists of ___________ of organisms living in a specific area, interacting with each other + the environment.

Answer 2

communities

Question 3

_______ _________ capture energy through photosynthesis (usually autotrophs).

Answer 3

Primary producers

Question 4

_________ (heterotrophs) ingest/utilize stored photosynthetic energy.

Answer 4

Consumers

Question 5

___________ recycle components back into environments.

Answer 5

Decomposers

Question 6

Members of communities can be grouped into functional groups called ______ based on the processes that they carry out.

Answer 6

guilds

Question 7

Specific functional role of an organism within an ecosystem =

Answer 7

Niche

Question 8

Groups/ layers of microbes on a surface that interact with and support each other =

Answer 8

biofilms

Question 9

A mechanism of intercellular communication that regulates the formation of biofilms =

Answer 9

quorum sensing

Question 10

Microbes secrete _________________ to protect the biofilm and form channels for transport of nutrients and wastes.

Answer 10

exopolysaccharide (EPS)

Question 11

Only _____% of the microbial species on Earth have been grown in culture.

Answer 11

1-5

Question 12

The greatest microbial diversity in terrestrial environments is found in ______ (6,000-40,000).

Answer 12

soil

Question 13

The extraction of DNA from the environment, followed by PCR and sequencing small subunit rRNA =

Answer 13

Direct sequencing

Question 14

DNA from an environmental sample is used to construct a genomic library =

Answer 14

metagenomics

Question 15

________ in ecosystems = “number of species”

Answer 15

Diversity

Question 16

Over 98% of the oceans biomass is ___________.

Answer 16

microbial

Question 17

Most marine microbes exist in ____________, a process of using nutrients at very low concentrations.

Answer 17

oligotrophy

Question 18

The process by which an entire body of water becomes enriched with nutrients and minerals (leads to “overfeeding” and anoxic waters) =

Answer 18

eutrophication

Question 19

Areas without enough oxygen to support much Eukaryal life (hypoxic conditions) =

Answer 19

Dead Zones

Question 20

The ___________ ____________ of the ocean = phytoplankton in the surface zone (contributes to the oxygenation of the water).

Answer 20

Primary producers

Question 21

Average seafloor depth = _______ meters

Answer 21

3,500

Question 22

Microbes that can withstand/require intense pressure to grow =

Answer 22

piezophiles

Question 23

Approximately _% of primary production reaches the seafloor.

Answer 23

1

Question 24

There are 10 times more ________ existing in the oceans than microbes.

Answer 24

viruses

Question 25

Freshwater ecosystems can be ___________ (oxic epiliumnion, thermocline, anoxic hypolimnion).

Answer 25

stratesfied

Question 26

Categories of ecosystems based on vegetation characteristics =

Answer 26

biomes

Question 27

organics from soil =

Answer 27

humic substances

Question 28

Region of soil immediately surrounding plant roots possessing large amounts of carbon (higher # of microbes) =

Answer 28

rhizosphere

Question 29

The use of microbes to consume and remove human-made materials from soil =

Answer 29

bioremediation

Question 30

Studying microbes discovered in deep-sea vents, hot springs, oil wells & goldmine subterranean rock =

Answer 30

deep subsurface microbiology

Question 31

Minerals and gases released from volcanic activity is used as energy for carbon fixation =

Answer 31

hydrothermal vents