Keywords

ecosystem, microbe, environment, microorganisms, symbiosis, symbiotic relationships, bacteria, viruses, microscopic organisms, nutrient cycling, protozoa, fungi, algae, prokaryotic cells, nonnucleated cells, eukaryotic cells, nucleated cells, ecosystem services, carbon cycling, soil fertility, pollution control, greenhouse gases, climate change, Gaia hypothesis

Definition

Microbial ecology is the branch of ecology that deals with the study of the interactions of living microorganisms with one another and with their nonliving environment of chemical compounds, water, and energy. Microorganisms are usually organisms requiring a stereo or light microscope: for viruses, a scanning electron microscope or transmission electron microscope. Microorganisms make significant contributions to climate change, carbon cycling, soil fertility, plant health, the degradation of toxic pollutants, as well as providing humans with antibiotics, free erosion-control, fertility, air-cleaning and water-cleaning services. They also cause many plant and animal diseases that challenge sustainable practices.