Download What is a microorganism?

What is a
microorganism?
It is a living thing
too small to see
without a
microscope.
Let’s look at
examples of
microorganisms.
Bacteria
Bacteria are singlecelled organisms (made
of one cell).
They are found
everywhere.
They come in three
shapes.
Round (coccus)
Rod (bacillus)
Spiral (spirillum)
Some make their own
food.
Example – cyanobacteria.
(producer – makes own
food)
Other bacteria are
consumers.
(Has to find food
and eat it.)
Beneficial uses of
bacteria.
Provides nitrogen for plants.
Fixes the soil (changes the nitrogen
to a form the plant can use).
Get minerals from ores.
Used to make plastics and laundry
detergents.
Help make antibiotics.
Beneficial uses of
bacteria (food).
Yogurt
Sauerkraut
Pickles
Olives
Chocolate
Cheese
Soy Sauce
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.
Examples of bacterial diseases.
Dental caries (cavities).
Strep throat.
Salmonella.
Typhoid fever.
Causes disease in farm animals.
Causes metal to rust and wear away.
How to prevent
diseases.
Vaccinations.
Antibiotics.
Wash hands after using
bathroom or whenever dirty.
Cook food properly.
Store food properly.
Cover mouth when sneezing,
coughing.
When you see
a pond, you
see a lot of life!
Photo source: Hobo’s Pond B&B
There’s also
life 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.
This is the world
of the
microorganism.
Photo source: University of Winnipeg, Dr. Simmons’ protist webpage
Let’s examine
three different
examples of
protozoans.
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
psuedopod (false feet).
It’s clear (you can see
through it).
The amoeba is a
consumer.
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.
The Euglena is
green.
It is primarily a
producer, but can
be a consumer.
The
Euglena
Algae
Algae can be
microscopic to
150 feet long.
Source: Scribemedia.orgc
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)
Here’s a quick
review of what
we’ve learned.
Fungi
Consumer.
Eat by absorbing food.
Get food from soil, wood,
decaying organic (once
living) matter, and living
plants/other organisms.
Can be from single-celled
to largest organism alive.
Can’t move.
Decomposers.
Feeds on and breaks down dead
plant or animal matter.
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.
Food production.
Cheese
Mushrooms
Yeast
Truffles
Soy sauce
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).
And this is a
quick look at
microorganisms.