Microbial Ecology

mineralization of organic nitrogen into ammonium

rock layer permeable to water that acts as a reservoir

flux of energy and chemical elements through living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) components of the biosphere

use of microorganisms to remove or detoxify pollutants

the collection of all living things and their ecosystems on Earth

all organisms living in a given area

organism that consumes other organisms for food

organism that breaks down dead materials and organic wastes and uses them for food

bacterial use of nitrate as an electron acceptor in cellular respiration, converting it eventually into nitrogen (N₂) gas

study of the relationships among pathogens, their hosts, and environmental factors that can influence the spread of the pathogens

unrestrained growth of plants, algae, or cyanobacteria, resulting from increased availability of nutrients required by photosynthesis

relationship among different organisms based on which organism eats or is eaten by another organism

combination of food chains interacting with each other within an ecosystem

physical area where an organism lives

movement of water to and from the atmosphere, surface, and subsurface of Earth

techniques or technologies allowing direct sequencing of microbial DNA from entire microbial communities within specific environmental samples and the analysis of resulting data

archaeon that uses carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas for energy during anaerobic respiration

study of microorganisms and their interactions with one another, with other organisms, and with their environments

conversion of organic compounds into inorganic nutrients in the soil by bacteria or fungi

conversion of ammonium to the intermediate product nitrite (NO₂^-) and the final product nitrate (NO₃^-)

microscopic, photosynthetic, water-dwelling organisms that drift with currents

an ecosystem that forms in or on human plastic pollution

interbreeding group of individuals of the same species

soil ecosystem adjacent to plant roots that is affected by the roots, their secretions, and the microorganisms that are present

specialized bulbous, tumor-like growth on a root that contains nitrogen-fixing bacteria