Microbial Population in H2O chemlithotrophs

b.stev

inorganic substances provide ENERGY

ammonia/ sulphur/ nitrate/ iron & hydrogen

WHAT ARE THEIR NEEDS TO survive?

O2 is NOT always essential

CARBON is NOT always essential

(Wikipedia, 2008)

CO > carbon monoxide

H2S > hydrogen sulphide

SO2 > sulphur dioxide

NH3 > nitrate

NO2 > nitrite

H2 > hydrogen

Temperature

Deep sea thermal vents harbour these microbes at 230-360230-360ooCC

Beggiatoa –likes sulphur Hydrogenomonas – likes hydrogen

Chemlithotrophs are in... Rivers and Lakes: are much cooler, 3-153-15ooCC

Nitrosomonas – like nitrogen

AND in Mines: are ALSO cool : Thiobacillus – likes iron Gallionella – likes iron

Smso.net, 2005

CHEMLITHOTROPHS do not have an affinity with light.

Light is not essential to their metabolism

Exposure would DECREASEDECREASE growth as it does not live in the light

DIRECT SUNLIGHT is used to kill off microbes in the

tropics

CHEMLITHOTROPHS live where

the conditions favour their needs.

For example: “Beggiatoa,” that needs

sulphur is located in mines, caves & thermal

areas.

If it was taken from it’s habitat to a

habitat that does not have sulphur it would

not survive

the amount of salt in the water

Some survive in H2O that is 35% salt the microbe has special walls that repel salt.

substance inside like salt, no absorption occurs

a pump system that ejects the absorbed salt

used to cure animal hides

by breakdown of the

layers

Reduce salinity of land

so that crops can grow

Microbes don’t grow as well

in quiet waters as the nutrients

are eventually depleted

when,” O2 ,“ is not neededthe bottom sediment is

homeThese are ANAEROBIC

MICROBES

microbes that need,” O2 ,“

are near the water surface

These are AEROBIC MICROBES

(Wikipedia, 2008)

re

some CHEMOLITHOTROPHS are able to withstand very steep pressures some only survive inin these conditions

These microbes are located:

structures of incredible pressures

great depths of the ocean

Bibliography

Smso.net. (2005). Chemlithotrophy. Retrieved September 14, 2008, from http//: www.smso.net/Chemolithotrophy - 20k

Smso.net. (2005). Litotrophs and Phototrophs other ways to get energy. Retrieved September 14, 2008, from http://faculty.weber.edu/mzwolinski/IntroMicro/111 3Units/Unit%203/Litotrophs%20and%20Phototrophs.pdf

Wikipedia. (2008). Lithotrophs – wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved September 13, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithotroph