Environmental Microbiology

BIO 201 Microbiology Lecture

Amor P. Magtibay
 Microbial Diversity
• Microbes, especially bacteria, live in most widely
varied habitats:
– Frozen antarctic regions
– Boiling hotsprings
– Inside solid rock
– Thin atmosphere
– Deepest ocean sediments
– Clear mountain streams
– Etc.
• Adapted to various
environments
Factors affecting soil quality:
• Oxygen
• Light
• Nutrients
• Temperature
• Water
• Activities of organisms
 Habitat Variety
• Extremophiles – microbes that live in
extreme conditions of temperature, acidity,
alkalinity, or salinity.
• Extremozymes – enzymes from
extremophiles
 Microbial Interactions
Microorganisms interact
with their environment,
affecting both:

a. Abiotic Factors
(non-living
components)
b. Biotic Factors
(living components)
 Symbiosis
Symbiosis is a relationship between two
different organisms of populations.
• Parasitism – type of symbiosis in which
one organism gets its nutrients and
reproductive capability from another
organism
• Mutualism – type of symbiosis in which
both partners benefits
• Willey, Sherwood, Woolverton. 2014. Prescott’s Microbiology. 9 th ed. McGraw
Hill
 Examples of Symbiosis
• Ruminants and rumen protozoa

https://www.emnz.com/article/improved-rumen-function
Examples of Symbiosis
Aphid bacteriome and individual bacteriocytes and
Buchnera cells. (A) Drawing of Aphid body with
bacteriome positioned in the abdomen of the insect.
The bacteriome is ventrally located, underneath the
insect ovaries. It is also in contact with the insect
hemolymph, the fluid that serves as the insect blood.
The amino acids synthesized by the Buchnera are
released into the hemolymph and carried to various
parts of the body and the sugars acquired by feeding
arrive to the bacteria via the same means. (B) Electron
micrograph of an individual bacteriocyte. Each tiny dot
in the cytoplasm of this cell is a Buchnera cell. The
large dot in the center is the bacteriocyte nucleus. (C)
Electron micrograph of an individual Buchnera cell from
the cytoplasm of a bacteriocyte. Figure (A) was
redrawn from M. B. Ponsen, "Alimentary Tract," Figure
2A in Aphids: Their Biology, Natural Enemies, and
Control, ed. A. K. Minks and P. Harrewijn (Amsterdam:
Elsevier, 1987), 79-97. Figures (B) and (C) were
acquired from http://buchnera.
gsc.riken.go.jp/intro.html and used with permission.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Aphid-bacteriome-and-individual-
bacteriocytes-and-Buchnera-cells-A-Drawing-of-Aphid_fig4_228623971
 Examples of Symbiosis
Symbiotic fungi called mycorrhizae live in and
on plant roots; they increase in the surface
area and nutrient absorption of the plant.
• Two primary types of mycorrhizae:
– Endomycorrhizae (vesicular-arbuscular
mycorrhizae)
– Ectomycorrhizae
Ectomycorrhiza

Endomycorrhiza
 ectomycorrhiza and endomycorrhiza:
similarities
• Ectomycorrhizae and Endomycorrhizae are two types of
mycorrhizal fungi. 
• They maintain symbiotic relationships with the roots of plants. 
• They also obtain sugars produced by plants through
photosynthesis. 
• Moreover, they produce water and mineral nutrients to the
plant, including phosphors. 
• Some plant families such
as Brassicaceae and Chenopodiaceae do not produce
mycorrhizal associations. 
• Furthermore, bryophytes produce mycorrhizae-like
associations. 
Endomycorrhizae (vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae)

Structures:
• Vesicles – smooth, oval bodies that probably
function as storage structures.
• Arbuscules – tiny bushlike structures
formed inside plant cells.
Endomycorrhizae
Ectomycorrhizae
 Soil Microbiology and
Biogeochemical Cycles
• In biogeochemical cycles, certain chemical
elements are recycled.
• Microorganisms in the soil decompose organic
matter and transform carbon-, nitrogen-, and
sulfur-containing compounds into usable forms.
• Microbes are essential to biogeochemical
cycles.
• Elements are oxidized and reduced by
microorganisms during these cycles.
 Soil Microbiome
• Billions of microbes are present in soil
• Population is highest in the top few
centimenters and declines rapidly with
depth
• Bacteria: most numerous microorganisms
• Actinomycetes (soil bacteria)
 Figure 1. Soil Profile or Soil
Horizons
(http://
geologylearn.blogspot.com/
2015/07/soil-profiles-and-soil-
properties.html)
 Soil as a “Biological Fire”
• Consumption of materials that land on the
soil
• Soil microbes metabolize organic matter
• Biogeochemical cycles then occur
 Biogeochemical Cycles
• Process where elements are oxidized and
reduced by microorganisms to meet their
metabolic needs
• Natural pathways by which essential
elements are recycled