Processes in microbial ecology
Title:
Processes in microbial ecology
Author:
Kirchman, David L.
ISBN:
9780191624216
Personal Author:
Publication Information:
Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2012.
Physical Description:
1 online resource (xiii, 312 pages) : illustrations
Contents:
Introduction -- Elements, biochemicals, and structures of microbes -- Physical-chemical environment of microbes -- Microbial primary production and phototrophy -- Degradation of organic material -- Microbial growth, biomass production, and controls -- Microbial growth, biomass production, and controls -- Predations and protists -- Ecology of viruses -- Community structure of microbes in natural environments -- Gnomes and metagenomes of microbes and viruses -- Processes in anoxic environments -- The nitrogen cycle -- Introduction to geomicrobiology -- Symbiosis and microbes.
Cover; Table of Contents; Chapter 1 Introduction; What is a microbe?; Why study microbial ecology?; Microbes cause diseases of macroscopic organisms, including humans; Much of our food depends on microbes; Microbes degrade and detoxify pollutants; Microbes can be useful model systems for exploring general principles in ecology and evolution; Some microbes are examples of early life on earth and perhaps of life on other planets; Microbes mediate many biogeochemical processes that affect global climate; Microbes are everywhere, doing nearly everything; How do we study microbes in nature?
Abstract:
Microbial ecology is the study of interactions among microbes in natural environments and their roles in biogeochemical cycles, food web dynamics, and the evolution of life. Microbes are the most numerous organisms in the biosphere and mediate many critical reactions in elemental cycles and biogeochemical reactions. Because they are essential players in the carbon cycle and related processes, microbial ecology is a vital science for understanding the role of the biosphere in global warming and the response of natural ecosystems to climate change. This novel textbook discusses the major process.
Genre:
Electronic Access:
EBSCOhost http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=433883