Gourt > Science > Biology > Ecology > Microbial Ecology
Microbial ecology is the relationship of microorganisms with one another and with their surroundings. It concerns all three of the major domains of life including Eukaryota, Archaea, and Bacteria. Microorganisms, by their omnipresence, impact the entire biosphere. They are present in virtually all of our planet's environments except the most extreme, from acidic lakes to the deepest ocean, and from frozen environments to hydrothermal vents.
Microbes, especially bacteria, often engage in symbiotic relationships (either positive or negative) with other organisms, and these relationships affect the ecosystem. One example of these fundamental symbioses are chloroplasts, which allow eukaryotes to conduct photosynthesis. Chloroplasts are considered to be endosymbiotic cyanobacteria, a group of bacteria that are thought to be the "inventors" of oxygenic photosynthesis. Some theories state that this invention coincides with a major shift in the early earth's athmosphere, from a reducing atmosphere to an oxygen-rich atmosphere. Some theories go as far as saying that this shift in the balance of gasses might have triggered a global ice-age known as the Snowball Earth.
They are the backbone of all ecosystems, but even more so in the zones where light cannot approach and thus photosynthesis cannot be the basic means to collect energy. In such zones, chemosynthetic microbes provide energy and carbon to the other organisms.
More on [ Microbial ecology ]
Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0000
Clean water should be recognized as a human right. At the March 2009 United Nations meetings coinciding with the World Water Forum, a declaration that would recognize water as a basic human right was defeated. In this month's Editorial, the PLoS Medicine Editors argue that access to clean water should be declared a basic human right for three reasons. First, access to clean water can substantially reduce the global burden of disease caused by water-borne infections. Second, the privatization of water—as witnessed in Bolivia, Ghana, and other countries—has not effectively served the poor, who suffer the most from lack of access to clean water. Third, the prospect of global water scarcity—exacerbated by climate change, industrial pollution, and population growth—means that no country is immune to a water crisis.Image Credit: Rudhach at flickr.com
Seasonal Hunger: A Neglected Problem with Proven Solutions
Bapu Vaitla et al. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0000
Clean Water Should Be Recognized as a Human Right
Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0000
Can We âHedgeâ against the Development of Antiviral Resistance among Pandemic Influenza Viruses?
David K. Shay et al. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0000
David K. Shay and Benjamin Ridenhour discuss a modeling study predicting that stockpiling a secondary antiviral for use early in a flu pandemic can forestall resistance to the primary stockpiled drug.
Pralidoxime in Acute Organophosphorus Insecticide PoisoningâA Randomised Controlled Trial
Michael Eddleston et al. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0000
In a randomized controlled trial of individuals who had taken organophosphorus insecticides, Michael Eddleston and colleagues find that there is no evidence that the addition of the antidote pralidoxime offers benefit over atropine and supportive care.
What Is the Optimal Therapy for Patients with H5N1 Influenza?
Nicholas J. White et al. Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0000
Nicholas White discusses optimal dosing of oseltamivir, Robert Webster and Elena Govorkova discuss combination antiviral therapy, and Timothy Uyeki discusses clinical care of patients with H5N1.
EurekAlert! - Biology
Study identifies how tamoxifen stimulates uterine cell growth and cancer
Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400
(University of California - San Francisco) University of California - San Francisco researchers have identified a new "feed-forward" pathway linking estrogen receptors in the membrane of the uterus to a process that increases local estrogen levels and promotes cell growth.
'Genetic arms race' between bacteria, viruses subject of stimulus grant
Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400
(Michigan State University) The oceans teem with microscopic bacteria that produce much of Earth's oxygen as they absorb carbon dioxide greenhouse gas. But fast-mutating viruses also populate the seas, attacking marine bacteria in an ages-old evolutionary arms race. A Michigan State University researcher will probe that ancient dynamic against the backdrop of environmental and climate change, and the pivotal role played by aquatic bacteria in maintaining the Earth's biological balance.
Learning from locusts
Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400
(Queen's University) A similarity in brain disturbance between insects and people suffering from migraines, stroke and epilepsy points the way toward new drug therapies to address these conditions.
Astrobiology Web - Microbes and other life forms in extreme environments. (Although the title of this site implies that it is about space, this is an excellent resource about microbial ecology in unusual environmental conditions here on Earth.)
BacSim: Individual-based model of microorganisms - BacSim is an Individual-based Model (IbM) of bacterial populations, such as colonies and biofilms. Online computer simulations give a feel for what the program does. Source code and animations are also available.
Meta Description: [ Homepage of Jan
Kreft. Mainly features research on: Individual-based modelling
of bacteria growing in biofilms or colonies. Biofilms with
extracellular polymeric substances. Food spoilage. Cooperation
and Competition in Biofilms or how Biofilms promote Altruism.
Why metabolic labour is ... ]
Bacteriophage Ecology Group - Possibly the only site dealing with bacteriophage virus ecology. The site includes a wealth of photos and drawings of these viruses as well as all you'd ever need to know about them.
Meta Description: [ Ecology ]
Biodegradation Group - GBF AMICO project - About research on development of molecular and biochemical tools to retrieve information from environmental samples, microbial degradation of contaminants in BTEX, bacterial shifts and adaptation in changing conditions, and evolution of catabolic genes families for BTEX degradation.
Meta Description: [ amico project adaptation evolution degradation biodegradation microbial communities molecular methods biotechnology bioremediation gbf aromatic pollutants contaminants BTEX microbiology underground water soil catabolic degradative genes bacteria ]
Digital Learning Center for Microbial Ecology - Michigan State University website with extensive resources on microbes and the environments they live in, as well as links to other microbial ecology resources on the web. Includes the Microbe Zoo.
Meta Description: [ The Digital Learning Center for Microbial Ecology is an educational resource about ecology and microbiology. The DLC-ME includes the Microbe Zoo, Microbes in the News, Meet the Scientists, and more ! ]
500
Gutbugs - All aspects of intestinal bacteriology - Gutbugs will include articles on probiotics, antibiotics, pathogenicity and bacterial interactions in the gut. Submitted articles welcomed.
Meta Description: [ All aspects of intestinal microbiology, in laymans terms as far as possible. ]
IMPACT Project Home Page - Interactions between microbial inoculants and resident populations in the rhizosphere of agronomically important crops in typical soils.
International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME) - Microbial Ecology for students, public, news media, and scientists. Also serves as the primary forum of discussion for ISME Society members.
LTER Microbial Observatories - Describes the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) programs concerned with microorganisms at a wide variety of sites around the world.
Microbial Ecology Group - Research documents, publications, programs, projects, staff. Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Germany.
Microbial Ecology Working Group - Main areas are compost and soil microbiology, molecular ecology, microbial communities, anaerobic digestion, fertilizer development. Page includes list of projects and publications. Located at the University of Innsbruck.
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Microbial Ecosystem Dynamics (MEDEA) - A combined experimental and theoretical approach towards understanding the mechanisms determining microbial ecosystem dynamics in the photic zone of the oceans. Centered around an idealized conceptual/mathematical model, questions are addressed concerning mechanisms regulating structure and function of the food web.
The Center for Microbial Ecology (CME) - The intellectual focus of the Center for Microbial Ecology is to understand factors that influence the competitiveness, diversity and function of microorganisms in their natural and managed habitats.
Meta Description: [ The organization, research and educational activities, and personnel of the
MSU Center for Microbial Ecology, an National Science Foundation science and technolology center. ]
The Nüsslein Lab - On-going research on microbial ecology carried out by the Nusslein Lab, University of Massachusetts, USA.
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