Exam 3 Flashcards
What are reservoirs? What are the four major reservoirs?
Physical locations of chemical elements that are acted upon through biogeochemical cycles; major global reservoirs include terrestrial (lithosphere), aquatic (hydrosphere), atmospheric (atmosphere), and living (biosphere)
What 2 reactions affect oxygen cycling the most? Can anaerobic bacteria affect this cycling?
atmospheric and dissolved O2, which is produced via photosynthesis and is used for aerobic respiration. Water (H2O), an end product of many metabolic activities, including respiration, some methanogenic reactions, and aerobic and anaerobic CH4 oxidation, represents another major source of oxygen.
differences between and reactions of nitrogen fixation, nitrification, and
denitrification.
Denitrification by bacteria converts nitrates (NO3−) to nitrogen gas (N2). Nitrification by bacteria is the conversion of ammonia (NH3) into nitrite (NO2–) and then into nitrate (NO3–). Nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert nitrogen gas (N2) into organic compounds such as ammonia.
What is methanogenesis?
Anaerobic metabolic process with methane (CH4) as a product
What is the importance of methane monooxygenase (MMO) enzyme for methanotrophs?
It is the enzyme responsible for converting CH4 to CH3OH (methanol).
What reactions affect carbon cycling?
Photosynthesis, Respiration, and Decomposition, methanogenesis, and methanotrophy
Phosphorus and sulfur are limiting elements; where can they be found?
the major reserves of these elements exist in rock or are dissolved in the oceans.
the steps of biofilm formation
- Adhesion by a primary colonizer
- cells divide aka growth
- microcolony produces EPS
- introduction of secondary colonizers (diversify) growth of the community
- established biofilm structure with nutrient gradients, distinct distributions of species, and dispersing cells
What are the advantages of biofilms? How is it regulated?
nutrients often bind to these solid surfaces, enabling higher cell concentrations than typically exist in bulk fluid. Moreover, the members of a biofilm interact with and support one another. Its regulated through EPS production
ecosystem
A community and its physical environment
niche
Specific functional role of an organism within an ecosystem
consortia
two or more interacting microbial populations that can be found in many diverse environmental niches
community
an interacting group of various species in a common location
population
A group of organisms of one species that interbreed and live in the same place at the same time
Microbes make up the majority of the biomass in the ocean. What role do viruses play?
viruses play an important role in controlling the microbial communities that exist with the marine water column. Through lysing bacteria, they supply the ocean with nutrients
What did the Winogradsky column demonstrate?
how microorganisms occupy highly specific microsites according to their environmental tolerances and their carbon and energy requirements.
Are we limited to only studying organisms we can grow in the laboratory? If not, what other
techniques can be used to study them?
no. the analysis of small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) genes amplified by PCR or by capturing DNA extracted directly from environmental samples by metagenomics
Enrichment media can be useful for growing organisms that may be more difficult to study.
Does the enrichment process give us a true analysis of the bacteria in that environment?
How can microbes benefit plants? How do plants benefit microbes?
plants create the rhizosphere and provide nutrients for microrganisms
What is a rhizosphere? How is it different from other areas of the soil?
Region of soil immediately surrounding plant roots. the rhizosphere contains large amounts of organic carbon due to the considerable influence of plant root exudate.
What are the dangers of anoxic waters (“dead zones”), and how does this occur?
Areas where marine animal life cannot survive due to hypoxia (low O2 levels). It occurs usually where rivers meet the ocean. It occurs because of the use of synthetic and inorganic fertilizer runoff.
What is bioremediation? What benefit can be seen by this process?
Use of microorganisms to degrade environmental pollutants. Bacteria degraded toxic compounds in the oil spills.
nodule formation.
bacteroids use their relationship with the plant to solve the problems of both high-energy requirements and oxygen toxicity by inducing the plant root to produce a protective structure called a root nodule
In what order does ingested food pass through the digestive system in a cecal fermenter? What
about a rumen fermenter
Hindgut (Cecal) fermentation relies on host digestive processes in the stomach and small intestine first, and microbial fermentation processes last. ruminants use foregut fermentation, fermenting their food first using microorganisms. Any undigested, unabsorbed material is then passed through the stomach, the small intestine, cecum, and colon,
