Microbial ecology

Question 1

Microbial ecology

Answer 1

ME is the study of the properties & behavior of microorganisms (MO) in their environment (soil or water).

Question 2

Zymogenous MO

Answer 2

Soil MO that grow rapidly when high energy containing nutrient are readily available are zymogenous MO.

Question 2

Doubling time

Answer 2

Time taken by a microbial population to double its original population during unlimited growth phase is referred to as doubling time or generation time.

Question 3

Autochthonous MO

Answer 3

Organisms that colonize the more recalcitrant material remaining after a primary attack has subsided as autochthonous microflora.

Question 4

Oligotrophs

Answer 4

Bacteria that grow much better at low substrate concentrations than at high concentrations.

Question 5

Copiotrophs

Answer 5

Bacteria that grow better at relatively high nutrient concentrations, such as those provided at most standard laboratory growth media.

Question 6

R-strategy

Answer 6

A specie needs to adopt a different strategy to colonize an environment in which it is initially present at low density.

Question 7

K-strategy

Answer 7

A specie tends to persist in an environment in which it is already present near to its carrying capacity.

Question 8

Neutralism

Answer 8

There is no any physiological effect between the populations. Both the partners are independent and not affected by each other.

Question 9

Commensalism

Answer 9

Commensalism is a unidirectional relationship between populations in which one population benefits and the other is unaffected.

Question 10

Synergism

Answer 10

Synergism indicates that both populations benefit from the relationship but the association is not obligatory. Both populations are capable of surviving independently.

Question 11

Mutualism

Answer 11

Mutualism is an obligatory inter-relationship between two populations that benefits both of them.

Question 12

Ammensalism

Answer 12

It is an asymmetric interaction where one species is harmed or killed by the other, & one is unaffected by the other.

Question 13

Competition

Answer 13

Competition occurs when two populations are striving for the same resource of nutrient or the habitat.

Question 14

Antagonism

Answer 14

Antagonism occurs when one population produces a substrate inhibitory to another population.

Question 15

Parasitism

Answer 15

The parasite population is benefited and the host population is harmed.

Question 16

Predation

Answer 16

Predation is a widespread phenomenon where a predator engulfs or attacks the prey. The prey can be larger or smaller than the predator and this normally results in the death of the prey.