Author : Grace ANIBASA OYIZA
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 217 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (27 download)
Book Synopsis A TEXT BOOK of SOIL and MICROBIAL ECOLOGY for BIOLOGICALSCIENCES STUDENTS by : Grace ANIBASA OYIZA
Download or read book A TEXT BOOK of SOIL and MICROBIAL ECOLOGY for BIOLOGICALSCIENCES STUDENTS written by Grace ANIBASA OYIZA and published by . This book was released on 2021-02-06 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book deals with the study of microbial community dynamics, soil ecology, soil microbiology, bioconversions and the interactions of microbes with each other and with plants, animals and the environments in which they live.Microbiology deals with small or minute organisms, while ecology is a branch of biology dealing with organisms generally, their relationship with one another and that of their environment. There are several approaches to the teaching and learning of microbial ecology. One approach is to consider the activities of the microorganism in nutrient cycles and food chains; another approach is to look at it from the factors which govern the existence and activities of microorganisms and their environments.In this book, we shall consider the existence of microorganisms in communities. Recent estimates suggest that most microbial communities have between 1010 to 1017 individuals representing at least 107 different taxa. How can such huge populations exist and more over, survive together in a productive fashion? To answer this question, we must know which microbes are present and how they interact. That is, we need to study microbial ecology, a multidisciplinary field which discusses some aspects of environmental microbiology. Generally speaking, microbial ecology is seldom primarily concerned with the organisms per se, rather it deals with their activities in terms of the resultant chemical and physical changes they make in the environment and those aspects of nutrient cycles, polluted water sources, diseased organisms, biochemical capacities of causative organisms to induce infection and so on are all considered as aspects of microbial ecology.In discussing microbial ecology, it is important to note the following:-The types and nature of the environment in which the microbe finds itself.-The forces that play roles in the dynamics of microbial population of the environments.-Effect of microbial types and population on their environments.-Physical and chemical properties of the environments.This book presents some of the important tools and techniques used in the study of microbial ecology, and introduces students to:--basic definitions in the study of ecology,-the general principles of microbial ecology,-microbes and ecological theory,- some classical examples of colonization and succession as natural events,-the study of how microorganisms exist, co-exist and interact with each other and with their environments (soil, air, water),-methods of study, isolation, quantification and identification of microorganisms from the various habitats,-factors affecting the survival of microorganisms in the various ecosystems (soil, air and water),-the morphological, physiological and genetic adaptations of microorganisms to their environments, -bioconversion (bio deterioration and biodegradation), -microbial interactions and -the relationship between microorganisms and other organisms There are three chapters dealing with microorganisms in ecosystems - the soil, air and water. In these chapters, we shall consider the various environments where microbes can exist. Generally, the environment is complex and constantly changing. It often contains varying nutrient concentrations and exposes microbes to many overlapping gradients of nutrients and other environmental factors. The physicochemical factors that govern the growth and survival of microbes in these environments and the methods employed in their isolation, study and quantification are discussed here. The objectives are to consider the various microbial environments, survey the effects, on microbial growth, of individual environmental factors such as water availability, pH, temperature, oxygen concentration etc; and also consider the techniques for isolation of microorganisms from the soil, air and water.
