Overall Flashcards
Describe what micro-organism are:
- can only be seen with a microscope
- smaller than 1mm ex. bacterium
- found everywhere
Why do we need microbes? Describe decomposers:
break down waste materials and returns nutrients to the soil.
plants use the nutrients to carry out life processes.
Describe nitrogen fixers:
covert nitrogen air into usable form.
describe phytoplankton:
phytoplankton is important to fresh water ecosystems
main producers of oceans and lakes.
What do humans have of both?
negative and positive interactions with microbes
What are the negative interactions:
Red tide
pathogens
food and infrastructure
describe each negative:
red tide
red tide: phytoplankton can reduce very quickly and produces toxins. For example, make shellfish poisonous.
pathogens
cause diseases.
For example, food poisoning that can cause vomiting etc
food and infrastructure
bacteria and microbes such as mold, can cause food to spoil
Examples of positive interactions
food, medicine, agriculture production, Digestion, waste management/ disaster recovery
Purpose of positives:
food:
bacteria helps make food.
for example, cheese, yogurt, and pickles
medicine:
bacteria helps make antibiotics and insulin
agriculture production
genetically modified crops
digestion:
bacteria in your intestine keeps you healthy and help with digestion
disaster recovery/ waste management
decomposers treat water or clean up spills