Microbial Growth Flashcards
What is growth referring to in the case of bacteria?
Population growth.
What does growth result in an increase in?
Cellular constituents.
What are two possible results of an increase in cellular constituents?
- An increase in cell number.
- An increase in cell size.
What is a microbial growth curve?
A logarithmic curve that plots the observed growth pattern for microorganisms cultivated in batch culture.
*Has distinct phases.
What is the label for the X-AXIS of the microbial growth curve?
Time.
What is the label for the Y-AXIS of the microbial growth curve?
Number of cells.
What is the first phase on the microbial growth curve?
The lag phase.
What happens during the lag phase?
Synthesis of new components as the bacteria adapts to a new medium.
*May be absent if new medium is the same or similar to previous medium.
What is the second phase on the microbial growth curve?
The exponential/log phase.
What happens during the exponential phase?
The rate of division and growth is exponential.
*Population is most uniform.
What is the third phase of the microbial growth curve?
Stationary phase.
What happens during the stationary phase?
The reproductive rate and the death rate are balanced due to the threshold for total number of viable cells having been met.
What type of environment causes bacteria to enter the stationary phase?
- Nutrient limitation.
- Toxic waste accumulation.
- Limited oxygen availability.
- Critical population density reached.
What is the fourth phase of the microbial growth curve?
Death phase.
What happens during the death phase?
The number of viable cells exponentially declines at a constant rate due to environmental changes.