Introduction to Microbial Ecology PDF

Introduction to Microbial Ecology A. Nature of Microbial Ecology B. Historical Perspectives C. Recent Developments A. Nature of Microbial Ecology Microbial ecology - the study of the interactions of microorganisms with their environment, each other, and plant and animal species. It includes the s...

Introduction to Microbial Ecology A. Nature of Microbial Ecology B. Historical Perspectives C. Recent Developments A. Nature of Microbial Ecology Microbial ecology - the study of the interactions of microorganisms with their environment, each other, and plant and animal species. It includes the study of symbioses, biogeochemical cycles and the interaction of microbes with anthropogenic effects such as pollution and climate change Environmental Microbiology This is closely related to microbial ecology, but it is focused on the applications. It answers the question, “how can we use our understanding of microorganisms in the environment to benefit society?” Fischerella sp. https://fmp.conncoll.edu/silicasecchidisk/LucidKeys3.5/K eys_v3.5/Carolina35_Key/Media/Html/Fischerella_Main. html Haloarcula japonica http://www.nakamura.bio.titech.ac.j p/theme2.html Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park https://www.worldatlas.com/places/mammoth-hotsprings.html • Which microbes are present? • What is the role of each species? • What interactions occur in the microbial environment? • How do microbes change the environment? B. Historical Perspectives Pioneers in Microbial Ecology YEAR 1683 INDIVIDUAL Antonie van Leeuwenhoek https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/licensedimage?q=tbn:ANd9GcRFvxt3EOqjeiNnzyFsjVuAl4va5IzEAfa lXUnQfZVF1QF6eFvA1cTuR4AvHOSEhqHONe29WzNJkppczCMdTeZ6 3ECSLwl9i9WLV4 CONTRIBUTION Published drawings of bacteria showing rods, cocci, and spirals YEAR 1786 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:M%C3 %BCller_Otto_Friedrich_1730-1784.jpg INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION Otto Friedrich Muller Reported the characteristics of 379 different species in his publication Animalcules of Infusions, Rivers and the Sea YEAR INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION 1823 Bartholomeo Bizio Described the “blood” drops in “bleeding” bread used in communion rites as attributed to Serratia marcescens 1837 Friedrich Traugott Kuzing, Charles Cagniard-Latour, and Theodor Schwann Independently published papers stating that microorganisms were responsible for ethanol production 1838 Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg Described Gallionella ferruginea as responsible for ocher 1843 Friedrich Traugott Kuzing 1852 Maximilian Perty Described Leptothrix ochracea, a filamentous iron-oxidizing bacterium Described several species of Chromatium including C. vinosum YEAR INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION 1866 Ernst Haeckel Proposed the term ecology 1877 Theophile Schoesing and Achille Muntz 1878 Anton de Berry 1885 A. B. Frank 1886 H. Hellriegel and H.Wilfarth Demonstrated that microorganisms were responsible for nitrification (NO3- → NH3 ) Proposed concepts of mutalistic and antagonistic symbiosis Described the fungus–root symbiosis known as mycorrhiza Demonstrated that root nodules on legumes supplied nitrogen to plants YEAR INDIVIDUAL 1889 Matrinus W. Beijerinck 1889 Sergei Winogradsky CONTRIBUTION Developed enrichment technique that produced pure cultures of many bacteria in nitrogen–sulfur cycle Established concept of chemolithotrophy and autotrophic growth of bacteria; Father of Microbial Ecology 1904 L. Hiltner Studied the biology of the root zone and proposed the term rhizosphere 1909 Sigurd Orla-Jensen Presented a natural system for arrangement of bacteria with lithoautotrophs as the most primitive bacteria C. Recent Developments • • • • Climate change microbiology Microbial contributions to biogeochemical cycles Community assembly Engineered and synthetic microbial communities: synthetic community as one that is created artificially by co-culturing of select (two or many) species under a (at least initially) well-defined media (Großkopf, T., & Soyer, O. S. (2014)) • • • • Modeling and ecological theory Host-microbiome interactions Novel microorganisms and metabolic functions Spatial and temporal dynamics https://www.isme-microbes.org/ References Barton, L., and Northup D. (2011) Microbial Ecology. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Großkopf, T., & Soyer, O. S. (2014). Synthetic microbial communities. Current Opinion in Microbiology, 18, 72-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mib.2014.02.002 Lemke, M., & DeSalle, R. (2023). The Next Generation of Microbial Ecology and Its Importance in Environmental Sustainability. Microbial Ecology, 85(3), 781-795. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-023-02185-y