What is a microorganism? Micro – very small; organism – living thing. A very small, living thing.

Let’s look at examples of microorganisms.

Bacteria

Bacteria are single-celled organisms (made of one cell). They are found everywhere.

Bacteria come in three shapes. Round (coccus) Rod (bacillus) Spiral (spirillum)

(Producer – makes own food) Some are producers. (Producer – makes own food)

Other bacteria are consumers. (Consumer - Has to find food and eat it.)

Beneficial uses of bacteria. Provide nitrogen for plants. Fixes the soil (changes the nitrogen to a form the plant can use). Get minerals from ores.

Beneficial uses of bacteria. Used to make plastics and laundry detergents. Help make antibiotics.

Beneficial uses of bacteria. Yogurt Sauerkraut Pickles Olives

Beneficial uses of bacteria. Chocolate Cheese Soy Sauce Vinegar Ketchup

Why Swiss Cheese Has Holes.

Harmful effects of bacteria. Cause Diseases (<1% of bacteria cause diseases) Three ways to get disease. Through air (breathe in). Through touch. Eating contaminated food.

Harmful effects of bacteria. Examples of bacterial diseases. Dental caries (cavities). Strep throat. Salmonella. Typhoid fever.

Harmful effects of bacteria. Causes disease in farm animals. Causes metal to rust and wear away. Click here for Bacteria Eating the Titanic.

Can Bacteria Get Sick?

How to prevent diseases. Vaccinations. Antibiotics. Wash hands after using bathroom or whenever dirty.

How to prevent diseases. Cook food properly. Store food properly. Cover mouth when sneezing, coughing.

Click here for How Dirty are Bathrooms? Click here for Germs. Click here for How Dirty are Bathrooms? Click here for the Proper way to Use TP.

Click here for the Surprise Toothbrush.

Click here for the Five-Second Rule. http://videos.howstuffworks.com/university-of-florida/4112-nuke-your-sponge-video.htm

Click here for How Bacteria Become Drug Resistant.

Photo source: Hobo’s Pond B&B When you see a pond, you see a lot of life! Photo source: Hobo’s Pond B&B

Photo source: Hobo’s Pond B&B Much of it, you can’t see! Photo source: Hobo’s Pond B&B

It’s too small for you to see. To see it, you will need a microscope.

Photo source: University of Winnipeg, Dr. Simmons’ protist webpage This is the world of the protozoan (protist). Photo source: University of Winnipeg, Dr. Simmons’ protist webpage

Photo source: University of Winnipeg, Dr. Simmons’ protist webpage Note: All protists live in water. Photo source: University of Winnipeg, Dr. Simmons’ protist webpage

Let’s examine three different examples of protozoans.

The Amoeba

The amoeba is among the most primitive of all organisms.

The amoeba has an irregular shape. (In other words, its shape always changes.)

It moves using a pseudopod (false foot). It’s clear (you can see through it). The amoeba is a consumer.

Staples High School, West Port, CT, Mr. Lazaroff’s webpage The Amoeba Staples High School, West Port, CT, Mr. Lazaroff’s webpage

The Paramecium

The paramecium is an oval shaped protozoan. It moves using tiny hair-like appendages called cilia.

It is a pale, translucent color. It is a consumer.

The Paramecium Biology Teaching & Learning Resources - Biological Drawings: Protista. Paramecium

The Euglena

The Euglena is an oval-shaped protozoan. It moves using a tail-like structure called a flagellum.

It is primarily a producer, but can be a consumer. The Euglena is green. It is primarily a producer, but can be a consumer.

The Euglena

Click here Monsters Inside Me: Eaten From The Inside Out.

Algae

Source: Scribemedia.orgc Algae can be microscopic to 150 feet long. Source: Scribemedia.orgc

Source: http://bennettkids.homestead.com/mrsbennetthome.html Algae are producers. Source: http://bennettkids.homestead.com/mrsbennetthome.html

Algae are an important food source for sea life. Source: eFuse.com

Algae provide over 50% of the oxygen we breathe.

Benefits of Algae Used in … livestock feed. cosmetics. prescription drug production. identifying possible environmental problems

Benefits of Algae Food Production Sushi Ice cream Salad dressing Syrup (thickener)

Fungi

Consumer. Must find and eat food. Eats by absorbing food. Decomposer Feeds on and breaks down dead plant or animal matter. Can be from single-celled to largest organism alive. Can’t move.

Examples. Mushrooms. Truffles. A mushroom like fungus that grown underground; primarily found in Europe; a highly valued food. Lichen Fungus often found as white or yellow patches on old walls, etc.

Benefits of Fungi Used to make chemicals used in manufacturing. Produce antibiotics (example – penicillin). Clean the environment.

Benefits of Fungi Food production. Cheese Mushrooms Yeast Truffles Soy sauce 

Click here HowStuffWorks Show: Bread Making.

Harmful Effects of Fungi Causes 70% of all crop diseases. Diseases in humans. Respiratory (lung) diseases (example – pneumonia). Athlete’s foot. Ringworm (makes a raised round circle that looks like it was caused by a worm).

When is Cheese Mold Good or Bad?

The presentation ends here.