The role of micro-organisms

If we collected all the living material on Earth and weighed it, half
of the accumulated biomass would be microorganisms. Thats a
lot of cells: about 5x10^30 of them. Microbes live everywhere, deep in
the worlds oceans and crust to glaciers perched on mountain peaks.
They are found in every conceivable habitat, from the soil that we
use to grow our food to our digestive systems that we use to digest
our food.

Microbes are the oldest group of organisms on the Earth.

Microbes were the
first living organisms
on Earth; they have
been around for at
least 3.8 billion years
80% of the Earths
4.6 billion year
history. Compare that
to the dinosaurs,
which lived on earth
for only 165 million
years, or 3.5% of the
Earths history!

Oxygen was
absent from the
Earths early
atmosphere, so the
first bacteria were
anaerobic.
These early
Earthlings were
probably similar to
purple and green
bacteria that
persist today.

Photosynthetic microbes, those that could use

the energy from the sun to synthesize
biological molecules, probably arose about a
billion years later.
These were similar to todays purple
photosynthetic bacteria.
These groups, however, did not produce
oxygen during photosynthesis.

a billion years later Oxygenic phototrophs

ancient cyanobacteria first appeared.

These microorganisms
oxygenated the Earths
atmosphere, paving the
way for the evolution of
multi-cellular life.

MAJOR MICROBIAL GROUPS

The world of microorganisms is made of bacteria, fungi,
algae, protozoa, and viruses.
They are group together only because of their small size,
and not by their function. If, for example, the same
taxonomical rules were applied to larger animals, some
fish, shrimp, green plants, birds and mammals would be
grouped together.
Some microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, and
protozoa are notoriously small, under one mm. Others, like
algae and fungi, have large size relatives (such as the
brown algae that is among the largest living organisms).

Unlike larger organisms, the morphology of

microorganisms is relatively poor and is confined
to few shapes and colours. However, their poor
morphology is compensated by great
physiological versatility.

VIRUSES

Clever Pinterest Virus

Viruses are very small, ranging between 0.01 and

0.03 microns, and only visible by using an
electron microscope.
They cannot live
independently, and only
multiply inside the cells of
other organisms. However,
their demand for a host is
fairly specific. For example, it
is unlikely that a crustacean
virus will attack humans or
fish. Viruses are also the
simplest of all organisms and
are made of nucleic acid
(either DNA or RNA),

ALGAE
Algae are photosynthetic
organisms (contain chlorophyll)
and obtain their energy from the
sun and their carbon from carbon
dioxide.
Their size ranges from one
micron to many meters.
All organisms that use carbon
dioxide for their carbon
requirement are called
autotrophs.
Algae are generally beneficial in
aquaculture by supplying oxygen

FUNGI
Fungi are similar to algae, but they do not contain chlorophyll
and require pre-formed organic matter as energy and carbon
sources (e.g., sugars, fat, protein, and other carbohydrates).
Such organisms are called heterotrophs. Fungi, ranging in
size from a few microns to several centimetres, grow either
independently by feeding on decaying matter, or in association
with plants and animals.

Orange Peel Fungus

Laetiporus gilbertsonii

Clavarioid fungi

spikey-fungi

PROTOZOA
Protozoa are heterotrophs, mostly free-living, feeding mainly by devouring
smaller microorganisms. Their size ranges between two and 200 micron
meters. A large group ofprotozoa, the Sporozoa, are parasites. Small
numbers of protozoa contain chlorophyll and can switch between
autotrophic and heterotrophic modes of feeding, based on light
conditions.

BACTERIA

Bacteria range in size from 0.1

to 15 micron, with some "
giants "that may reach half a
millimeter. They make up the
most metabolically diverse
group of living organisms.
Although some are parasitic to
animals and plants, the
majority of bacteria are freeliving, having either a neutral or
beneficial relationship with
humans and other animals and
plants. Their metabolic
versatility is incredible: while
most are heterotrophs, using
either light or chemical energy.
One of their most remarkable
characteristics is their ability to

Cellular structure

Micro-organisms are
always present in
the environment and
given the right
conditions of food
availability,
temperature and
other environmental
factors, they grow
and multiply.

generalised pattern of growth of micro-organisms

 They form what is

termed a 'food
chain'. For
example inorganic
and organic
substances in
wastes are
consumed by
bacteria, fungi and
algae. These are
in turn consumed
by protozoa and
nematodes (some
fungi however trap
nematodes) and
the latter by
rotifers.

Microbes
form the
backbone of
every
ecological
system by
controlling
global
biogeochemic
al cycling of
elements
essential for
life.

 micro-organisms, such as bacteria, play an

important role in the natural cycling of
materials and particularly in the
decomposition of organic wastes.

What is waste for humans

and higher vertebrates
becomes a useful food
substrate for the microorganisms

To survive and reproduce in any habitat, microbes must be able to

obtain energy, deal with toxins, and handle competitors and
predators. These physiological and ecological activities are reflected
in the organisms metabolism. Organisms surviving and reproducing
in different habitats are going to face different environmental
conditions and so will evolve a wide diversity of metabolisms.
Because microbes are found in so many different environments, they
represent, collectively, an incredible diversity of metabolisms.
Metabolism is a product of the organisms genes, thus microbes also
possess remarkable genetic diversity.
Microorganisms contain incredible metabolic and genetic
diversity.

MICROBIAL PROCESS
Bacteria and other
microorganisms, most
notably fungi, are able
to metabolize and
transform numerous
organic and inorganic
compounds.
Therefore, man has
used them for
thousands of years for
making yogurt,
pickles, bread,
cheese, wine, and
more recently for

Process controlled by
microorganisms can occur
aerobically (in the presence of
oxygen) or anaerobically (with no
oxygen present).

The starting materials and the end products of such processes vary
based on the microorganisms' capabilities (as reflected in their genetic
makeup), and the environment in which these processes occur (e.g.,
availability of oxygen, temperature, salinity, pH, etc.

Microorganisms are of major important in industrial

wastewater treatment, agricultural and aquaculture.

Microorganisms may have positive or negative effects on

the outcome of aquaculture operations. Positive microbial
activities include elimination of toxic materials such as
ammonia, nitrite, and hydrogen sulfide, degradation of
uneaten feed, and nutrition of aquatic animals such as
shrimp, fish; production of aqua-farmer.

AEROBIC MICROBIAL PROCESS IN AQUACULTUTRE

Generally, aerobic microbial processes yield compounds
which can be beneficial, and are either not toxic or have
lox toxicity levels in aquaculture ponds or tanks.
Oxidation of organic matter to carbon dioxide, a process
which is the main consumer of oxygen in aquaculture
ponds or tanks.
Oxidation of ammonia to nitrate via nitrite, which also
consumes large quantity of oxygen. oxidation of reduced
sulfur compounds (such as hydrogen sulfide and
elemental sulfur) to sulfate, a process that generally has
low oxygen demand in aquaculture.

AEROBIC MICROBIAL PROCESS IN AQUACULTUTRE

Conversion of carbon dioxide to biomass by autotrophic
bacteria (such as the nitrifying bacteria) with a
relatively small amount of biomass produced in
aquaculture facilities, when compared to the
conversion of carbon dioxide to biomass by algae.
Conversion of carbon dioxide to biomass by algae
depending on the availability of light. Excluding
feeding, the photosynthetic process in aquaculture is
the main input of carbon source and natural food for
aquatic animals.

ANAEROBIC MICROBIAL PROCESSES IN

AQUACULTURE
Microbial anaerobic processes, if not controlled, can produce
compounds that are highly toxic to cultured animals.
These processes include:
Consumption of organic matter, without the utilization of free
oxygen, resulting in products which are usually not fully oxidized
(such as alcohols, organic acids).
Reduction of nitrate and nitrite, which can yield either nitrogen gas
or ammonia. In aquaculture, due to the toxicity of ammonia and
nitrite, ammonia production is not welcomed, while nitrogen gas
production is beneficial.
However, in agriculture, the opposite is true - the conversion of
nitrate and nitrite to nitrogen gas result in a loss of fertilizers.
Reduction of sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide as a final
product, a compound, which is toxic to most animals at even very
low concentrations.

In the general media, microorganisms have a bad reputation. Some

deserve it: microbes are responsible for a number of human diseases,
including tuberculosis, malaria, cholera, AIDS, and measles. But harmful
microbes, while important, are only a tiny percentage of total microbial
diversity.

Humans fear microbes when they should celebrate them.

Most microbes are harmless to humans and some are immensely
beneficial. For example, without bacteria, food production as we know it
could not exist. Because of microorganisms role in nutrient cycling,
agricultural production would grind to a halt without microbes. No
bacteria? No cheeseburgers! Bacteria are used in food production to make
cheese, yogurt, sauerkraut, and pickles. Ruminant animals, including
cows, sheep, and goats, are dependent on gut bacteria to digest their diet
of plants. Yeast, a eukaryotic microbe, makes our bread, beer, and wine
possible.

In a natural water body, e.g. river or lake, the number and type of
micro-organisms depends on the degree of pollution. The general
effect of pollution appears to be a reduction in species numbers. For
example in a badly polluted lake, there are fewer species but in
larger numbers, while in a healthy lake there can be many species
present but in lower numbers.

No ecological process occurs without the direct or indirect

action of microorganisms.

Given the ancient history of microbes, their global distribution, and their metabolic and genetic diversity, it is
not surprising that they are involved in all ecological processes on Earth. The types of ecological activities
depend on the species composition, population sizes, and physiological states of microbial communities.
Microbes play a key role in nutrient cycling in particular. The three main nutrients that all living organisms
require are nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon. Microbiologists estimate that microbes are the largest reservoir
of nitrogen and phosphorus stocks on the planet and that they are tied with plants as a carbon reservoir. In
addition, microbes are important in the cycling of other nutrients, like sulfur and iron.
It is obvious, then, that understanding how microbes function in ecosystems is necessary to have a
comprehensive view of how the biological world works. The diversity of microbes, however, is the downfall of
efforts to study microbial ecology. Very complex systems, like those in soil, are so diverse that teasing apart
relationships between community members is nearly impossible. Less diverse ecosystems, like those in
hypersaline environments, provide a simpler place to start understanding microbial communities.

Economic uses and benefits of microorganisms

Microorganismshave been used as tools for the
production of products for millennia. Even in ancient times,
the ability to produce vinegar by allowing water to
percolate through wood shavings was known and widely
practiced. Likewise, thetransformationof
ayeastsuspension into beer or a suspension of crushed
grapes into wine was common knowledge. The basis of
these events may not have been known, but that did not
impede the sale or trade of such products.
These economic uses of microorganisms are the earliest
examples ofbiotechnology..

Economic uses and benefits of microorganisms

use of the bacteriumLactobacillus acidophilusto produce
yogurt,
fermentationof cabbage to produce sauerkraut.
to produce a variety of cheeses, and
In the agricultural sector, the discovery of the ability
ofRhizobiumto convert elemental nitrogen to a form that
was useable by a growing plant, led to the use of the
microorganism as a living fertilizer that grew in association
with the plant species.

sauerkraut

yogurt

Economic uses and benefits of microorganisms

manufacture of protein from the nucleic
acid templates occurs was pivotal in
advancing the use of microorganisms as
factories. genesplicing technologies (to
remove DNA from one region of the
genome and move the DNA in a
controlled way to another region of the
same DNA, or DNA in a completely
different organism (prokaryotic or
eukaryotic). ), which can be
accomplished by various splicing and
reannealingenzymes, or by the use
ofvirusesor mobile regions of viral DNA
(such astransposons) as vectors have
allowed biotechnologists to create what
are termed "designer genes," which

Economic uses and benefits of microorganisms

The gene for the production of human
insulin has been transferred into the
genome of the common intestinal tract
bacteriumEscherichia coli.
The example of insulin reflects both the
health benefit of the use of microbes
and the economic benefit to be realized,
since the mass production of insulin that
is possible using bacteria lowers the
cost of the product.

Economic uses and benefits of microorganisms

A process known as
DNA fingerprinting,
which relies upon
enzymes that are
produced and operate
in bacteria, has
enabled the tracing of
the fate of genes in
plant and animal
populations, and
enhanced gathering of
evidence at crime
scenes.

Economic uses and benefits of microorganisms

Other medical uses of microorganisms, particularly in the
production ofantibiotics, have been the greatest boon to
humans and other animals. The list of maladies that can
now be treated using microbiologically derived compounds
is lengthy, and includes cystic fibrosis,
hemophilia,hepatitisB, Karposi's sarcoma, rejection of
transplanted organs, growth hormone deficiency, and
cancer. The worldwide sales of medical and pharmaceutical
drugs of microbial origin now exceeds U.S. $13 billion
annually.
Microorganisms have also been harnessed as factories to
produce compounds that are used in areas as divers as
textile manufacture, agriculture, and nutrition. Enzymes
discovered in bacteria that can exist at very elevated

The mode of growth of bacterial populations has also proved to be

exploitable as a production tool. A prime example is the surfaceadherent mode ofbacterial growththat is termed abiofilm.
Although not known at the time, the production of vinegar
hundreds of years ago was, as now, based on the percolation of
water through biofilms growing on wood shavings. Immobilized
bacteria can produce all manner of compounds. As well, the cells
can provide a physical barrier to the flow of fluid. This dynamic
aspect has been utilized in a so far small-scale way to increase the
production of oil from fields oil thought to be depleted. Bacteria
can plug up the zones were water and oil flows most easily.
Subsequent pumping of water through the field forces the oil still
resident in lower permeability areas to the surface.
With the passing of time, the realized and potential benefits of
microorganisms and the implementation of strict standards of
microbe use, is lessening the concern over the use of engineered

Micro-organisms require cellular building blocks, such as (carbon)

C, (hydrogen) H, (oxygen) O, (nitrogen) N, (phosphorus) P, and
minerals for growth. These can be obtained through consuming
organic substances containing these elements, or from inorganic
materials, such as carbon dioxide, water, nitrate and phosphate.
Micro-organisms also require energy. They obtain this through
respiration. In this process organic carbon is oxidised to release its
energy. Oxygen or other hydrogen acceptors is needed for the
respiration process. Algae and photosynthetic bacteria can also
utilise energy from sunlight, while certain types of bacteria can
utilise energy from chemical reactions not involving respiration. The
building blocks and energy are used to synthesise more cells for
growth and also for reproduction.

In the treatment of wastewater three types of overall processes are

distinguished to represent the conversion of organic wastes by microorganisms. The classification is based on whether the environment
where the process takes place is aerobic, anaerobic or
photosynthetic. Under aerobic conditions (in the presence of oxygen),
micro-organisms utilise oxygen to oxidise organic substances to
obtain energy for maintenance, mobility and the synthesis of cellular
material. Under anaerobic conditions (in the absence of oxygen) the
micro-organisms utilise nitrates, sulphates and other hydrogen
acceptors to obtain energy for the synthesis of cellular material from
organic substances. Photosynthetic organisms use carbon dioxide as
a carbon source, inorganic nutrients as sources of phosphate and
nitrogen and utilise light energy to drive the conversion process.

Micro-organisms also produce waste products, some of which are

desirable and some undesirable. Gases such as carbon dioxide and
nitrogen are desirable, since they can be easily separated and do
not produce pollution. Gases such as hydrogen sulphide and
mercaptans, although easily separated require treatment for odour.
Micro-organisms' cellular materials are organic in nature and can
also cause pollution. It would be desirable if the cellular materials
have undergone self oxidation (endogeneous respiration utilising
own body cells) to produce non-biodegradable materials that are
relatively stable. Self-oxidation is achieved when there is no
substrate/food available.

The microbiological conversion reactions of organic waste into

cellular material can be empirically represented as shown below.
(i) Conversion under aerobic conditions (see diagram below):
Under aerobic conditions ammonia is further oxidised to nitrate.
Phosphorus and sulphur contained in the organic substances are
oxidised to phosphate and sulphate. These can be further utilised by
the micro-organisms for synthesis.
(ii) Conversion under anaerobic conditions (see diagram below):
Methane (CH4) is a useful gaseous by-product of anaerobic
conversion, because it can be combusted to produce heat/energy.
On the other hand if it is released to the atmosphere without being
combusted, it contributes to the greenhouse gas effect.

Conversion under photosynthetic conditions

As shown by the conversion reactions (the utilisation of

organic wastes for food by micro-organisms) the product
is mainly the cellular material of the micro-organisms i.e.
more organisms are produced. The growth yield is the
weight of micro-organisms produced per unit weight of
organic substances consumed by the micro-organisms.
The growth yield depends on the type of substrate and
environmental conditions. The smaller the value of the
growth yield the better it is for waste treatment, because
less sludge is produced which requires disposal. Its value
is usually between 0.2 and 0.5 for aerobic conversion,
while the corresponding value for anaerobic conversion is
smaller.

Source: Boundless. Role of Microbes in

Biogeochemical Cycling.Boundless Microbiology.
Boundless, 12 Aug. 2015. Retrieved 21 Sep. 2015
fromhttps://www.boundless.com/microbiology/text
books/boundless-microbiology-textbook/microbialecology-16/microbial-ecology-192/role-of-microbesin-biogeochemical-cycling-961-10506/