- "Microbial ecology (or environmental microbiology) is the ecology of microorganisms: their relationship with one another and with their environment."
An investigation of the microbial processes in the environment, including their roles in nutrient cycling, biogeochemical cycles, and pollutant degradation. It also covers the methods used to monitor microbial activities in the environment.
Microbial Diversity: The study of the vast diversity of microorganisms that exist in the environment and their roles in biogeochemical cycles.
Microbial Ecology: The study of the interactions between microorganisms and their environment, including how they impact nutrient cycling, carbon storage, and ecosystem function.
Metagenomics: The sequencing and analysis of microbial genomes from environmental samples, which allows for the identification and study of uncultivated microorganisms.
Microbial Biotechnology: The application of microorganisms to solve environmental challenges, such as bioremediation and wastewater treatment.
Biogeochemical Cycles: The cycling of nutrients and elements through biotic and abiotic components of the environment, including carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles.
Soil Microbiology: The study of microorganisms in soil and their role in soil fertility, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem health.
Aquatic Microbiology: The study of microorganisms in freshwater and marine environments and their role in nutrient cycling, bioremediation, and ecosystem function.
Air Microbiology: The study of microorganisms in the air, including indoor and outdoor air, and their impact on human health and atmospheric processes.
Microbial Physiology: The study of how microorganisms function and adapt to their environment, including their metabolism, growth, and response to stressors.
Microbial Genomics: The study of microbial genomes, including gene expression, regulation, and evolution, and how this information can be applied to environmental microbiology.
Agricultural Microbiology: The study of microorganisms and their activities in the agricultural ecosystem. It deals with the microorganisms that interact with crops, soil, and livestock.
Aquatic Microbiology: The study of microorganisms in aquatic environments like oceans, lakes, rivers, and ponds. It deals with the ecological roles, functions, and interactions of these microorganisms in the aquatic ecosystem.
Atmospheric Microbiology: The study of microorganisms that exist in the atmosphere, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and more. It deals with the distribution, ecology, and evolution of these microorganisms.
Bioremediation: The use of microorganisms to clean up environmental pollutants like oil spills, chemical waste, and more. It involves the use of certain microorganisms that can degrade or detoxify the pollutants.
Environmental Microbial Ecology: The study of the microbial communities and their interactions in natural environments. It deals with the roles and functions of microorganisms in nutrient cycling, energy transfer, and biogeochemical processes.
Geomicrobiology: The study of microorganisms' activities and their interactions with the geosphere. It focuses on the microbial processes and transformations of minerals and rocks.
Industrial Microbiology: The use of microorganisms in biotechnology, bioinformatics, and industrial processes. It deals with the roles and functions of microorganisms in industrial applications like food, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels.
Soil Microbiology: The study of microorganisms in the soil environment. It deals with the interactions, activities, and functions of soil microorganisms in nutrient cycling, carbon storage, and ecosystem health.
Microbial Ecology and Evolution: The study of the interactions and evolution of microorganisms in various environmental conditions. It deals with the diversity, genetic makeup, and evolutionary history of microorganisms.
Microbial Genomics: The study of microbial genes, their functions, and their interactions with the environment. It deals with the genetic makeup and adaptation of microorganisms in different environmental conditions.
- "It concerns the three major domains of life—Eukaryota, Archaea, and Bacteria—as well as viruses."
- "Microorganisms, by their omnipresence, impact the entire biosphere."
- "Microbial life plays a primary role in regulating biogeochemical systems in virtually all of our planet's environments, including some of the most extreme..."
- "Calculated as 5.0×1030 cells; eight orders of magnitude greater than the number of stars in the observable universe."
- "Microbes, by virtue of their biomass alone, constitute a significant carbon sink."
- "Microorganisms' key collective metabolic processes (including nitrogen fixation, methane metabolism, and sulfur metabolism) control global biogeochemical cycling."
- "Some of the most familiar, such as the human small intestine, nose, and mouth."
- "The immensity of microorganisms' production is such that, even in the total absence of eukaryotic life, these processes would likely continue unchanged."
- "Some of the most extreme, from frozen environments..."
- "Some of the most extreme, from... acidic lakes..."
- "...to hydrothermal vents at the bottom of deepest oceans..."
- "Calculated as 5.0×1030 cells..."
- "...eight orders of magnitude greater than the number of stars in the observable universe."
- "Microorganisms' key collective metabolic processes (including nitrogen fixation, methane metabolism, and sulfur metabolism) control global biogeochemical cycling."
- "Even in the total absence of eukaryotic life, these processes would likely continue unchanged."
- "...the human small intestine, nose, and mouth."
- "Microbes, by virtue of their biomass alone, constitute a significant carbon sink."
- "...from frozen environments and acidic lakes, to hydrothermal vents at the bottom of deepest oceans..."
- "Even in the total absence of eukaryotic life, these processes would likely continue unchanged."