Environmental Microbiology Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards based on the lecture notes about Environmental Microbiology.

Microbial ecology

The study of the interaction of microorganisms within the environment (air, water, or soil).

Environmental microbiology

The study of the composition and physiology of microbial communities in the environment (soil, water, air, and sediments).

Abiotic environment

Non-living components of ecosystems, including physical & chemical factors.

Acclimation

A gradual physiological adaptation of the living organism to the environmental changes.

Aerobic

Relate to the respiration & metabolism in the presence of oxygen.

Anaerobic

Relate to the respiration & metabolism without oxygen.

Autotroph

Living organism capable of photosynthesis.

Biogeochemical cycles

The natural cycles of the elements & components from which the inorganic compounds turn to organic one & the vice versa.

Biotic factors

Environmental factors resulted from the living organism's activity.

Consumer

The organism which feed on the other organisms.

Decomposer

Living organism obtain its food through break down of complex organic compounds into simpler inorganic compounds.

Food chain

The transfer of energy (food) from one organism to another each of which occupies a specific trophic level.

Habitat

Physical part of the environment where the organism lives.

Heterotrophs

The organism incapable of photosynthesis & depend on the other organisms to obtain its food supply.

Lentic

The ecology of standing water, e.g. Lakes, ponds, etc.

Lotic

The ecology of running water, e.g. Rivers, streams, etc.

Productivity

The amount of energy stored in the living body of an organism in specific area & time.

Microorganism

The organism of microscopic or submicroscopic size, especially bacteria or viruses.

Microbicide

A chemical that kills microbial cells and spores.

Microbistatic

A chemical that inhibits microbial growth.

Disinfection

Destroy only the vegetative forms but not spores; used only for inanimate objects because the effective concentration can be toxic to human tissues.

Antiseptics

Destroy or inhibit microorganism on the skin and other tissues.

Infection

Entry, establishment, multiplication of pathogens within the host.

Aquatic microbiology

The science that deals with microscopic living organisms in fresh or salt water systems.

Psychrophilic

Bacteria that have an optimum temperature for growth below 15 ºC and a minimum temperature for growth below 0 ºC.

Biodegradation

Decomposition of organic material back to CO2 + H2O and other gases.

Nitrogen Fixation

Conversion of nitrogen gas (N2) into NH3 or organic nitrogen.

Ammonification

The biochemical process whereby ammoniacal nitrogen is released from nitrogen-containing organic compounds.

Denitrification

Involves conversion of NO-3 to N2 gas in the presence of low oxygen levels

Indicator Microorganism

A nonpathogenic microorganism whose presence suggests the presence of enteric pathogens.

Coliform Organisms

Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria capable of growth in the presence of bile salts and able to ferment lactose at an optimum 35ºC.

Bacteriophages

Viruses that infect and replicate in specific bacteria.

Heterotrophic Bacteria

Bacteria that use organic carbon for energy and growth.

Soil microbiology

A system that describes the numbers, fate, activity, and interactions of microorganisms present in soil, and how they are affected by their environment.

Environmental biotechnology

Techniques that use biological system, living organisms, or derivatives for remediation of contaminated environment (land, water, and air).

Adhesions

Microbial surface antigens that bind one cell to another.

Alkane

Saturated hydrocarbons with carbon atoms in a chain without double bonds.

Alkene

Unsaturated hydrocarbons with carbon atoms in a chain containing double bonds between the carbon atoms.

Anoxygenic

Activity that contributes to the anaerobic environment.

Assimilation

Incorporation of compounds into cellular materials.

Augmentation

The addition of desired bacteria to a bioreactor or to a contaminated site.

Bacteriophages

Viruses that attack bacteria.

Biodiesel

An extract of algal cells containing oils; suitable for use in engines.

Biofarming

The addition of contaminated soil to agricultural soil with the purpose of soil microorganisms mineralizing the organic contaminant.

Biofilm

Film containing microbial cells of diverse genera that are localized on a surface by extracellular matrix material.

Biofuel

A biological product that can be used as an engine fuel.

Biogeochemical cycle

The path that a nutrient or element takes as it moves through the biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere.

Biomineralization

The process by which microorganisms form mineral phases.

Biomining

The use of microorganisms to aid in the extraction and recovery of metals from ores.

Bioremediation

The application of microorganisms to detoxify organic substances or inorganic compounds.

Biosorption

Metabolism-independent binding of metal ions or radionuclide species to cellular components.

Cellulose

A biopolymer that consists of several dozen chains of microfibrils where each chain of glucose is held by -1, 4-glucosidic bonds.

Chemoautotrophy

The process in which carbon dioxide is used as the source of carbon.

Chemolithotrophs

Microorganisms that couple electron flow to oxidation or reduction of inorganic materials.

Chemolithotrophy

The process in which inorganic compounds are oxidized to generate energy for organisms.

Chemoorganotrophs

Organisms that utilize organic compounds as their energy sources.

Compost

A process using aerobic microbial decomposition of plant material for the production of a soil conditioner.

Conjugation

The genetic exchange resulting from cell-cell contact; occurs in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms.

Dehydrogenase

An enzyme that oxidizes molecules by transferring electrons to an electron carrier of NAD or cytochromes.

Denitrification

The conversion of nitrate to atmospheric nitrogen.

Dinitrogen

Atmospheric nitrogen, N2.

Dissimilation

Activity leading to the conversion of an electron acceptor to a metabolic end product; not associated with incorporation of chemicals into cell biomass.

Dissimilatory reduction

In microbiology, the transfer of a large number of electrons to an electron acceptor with the consequence of producing a high quantity of product from respiration.

Dissimilatory sulfate reduction

The use of sulfate as the final electron acceptor by chemolithotrophic organisms with the production of H2S.

Disturbance

An event that causes the death, displacement, or harm of or to individuals within a given population, community, or ecosystem; leads to opportunities for new individuals to replace them.

Extracellular polymeric matrix (EPM)

Polysaccharide material surrounding bacterial cells along with other polymeric material.

Extremophiles

Organisms that live in and have adapted to extreme conditions of pH, temperature, or salinity.

Fermentation

An anaerobic metabolic process of bacteria and yeast resulting in the production of desired end products including ethanol and lactic acid.

Indigenous bacteria

Bacteria normally present in the environment.

Methanotroph

A microorganism that grows with methane as the electron donor.

Nitrogen fixation

Also called diazotrophy; the process of reducing atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia, carried out by various bacteria and archaea in order to supply nitrogen for building proteins and nucleic acids.

Nitrogenase

The enzyme that converts atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia.

Rhizosphere

The area of soil surrounding plant roots.

Siderophores

Small organic compounds produced by bacteria or fungi; these compounds facilitate cellular uptake of Fe3+.

Sludge

Solid material containing a high concentration of microorganisms, inorganic precipitates, and undigested organic solids.

Sorption

A term used to include adsorption and absorption; a process where chemicals moves from a soluble phase to an insoluble phase.

Xenobiotic

A chemical produced in the laboratory and not produced by any living system.

Biosurfactants

Are surface active substances derived from living organisms, especially microorganisms.