BIO 3372 Lecture 1: Chapter 1 - The Microbial World and You
Document Summary
A specialized are of biology and studies living organisms too small to be seen without a microscope. Microogranisms or microbes - collective term for organisms visualized by a microscope. 0. 05% of unknown species, about 583 species are disease causing. Public health/ epidemiology - monitor and control the spread of diseases in a community. Medical - microbes cause diseases in humans and animals. Industrial - deals with screening, improvement, management, and exploitation of microorganisms for the production of various useful end products on a large scale. Agricultural - relationship between microbes and domestic plants. Evolution - accumulation of changes that occur in organisms as they adapt to their environment. Microbes have in uenced the evolution of other organisms. Microbial involvement in energy and nutrient flow within ecosystems: Ecosystem - communities of living organisms and the surrounding environment. Photosynthesis - the light fueled conversion of carbon dioxide and oxygen. Microorganisms account for >70% of photosynthesis and contribute to the majority of oxygen.
