What is the scope of “environmental microbiology?” How is it defined and what does it include?

Writing Assignment for BIO4818 Spring 2016

 

Instruction

 

Choose 4 from the following topics. For each topic you choose, write a summary of what you know about that topic. The summary should include both the textbook material we covered as well as the in-class discussion we had on the topic. You are also encouraged to pull from other sources, provided you cite them properly.

 

Each student should work independently. This is not a group project.

 

 

Topics:

 

1. What is the scope of “environmental microbiology?” How is it defined and what does it include? What are the core features of this area of microbiology?

 

2. Compare and contrast archaea with bacteria – what are their similarities and differences?

 

3. Explain why the biochemical capacities of microbes are important to understanding their ecological roles. Give 2 specific examples where the biochemical functions of a microbe (or groups of microbe) impact significantly the environment. Be sure to give details and explain each example.

 

4. Compare and contrast culture dependent and culture-independent methods of studying environmental microbiology. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each approach? Give examples of each type of method and explain the examples.

 

5. In what ways does the density of microorganisms in an environment impact the experimental design to study them? Provide some considerations, and explain their importance, about sample density in the context of microbial studies.

 

6. How are microbial species defined? What are the criteria used and why these specific criteria? How is the definition different from the one commonly used for plants and animals?