ecological competence

Examples of ecological competence in the following topics:

• Ecology, Epidemiology, and Evolution of Pathogens

  • Ecological competence is the ability of an organism, often a pathogen, to survive and compete in new habitats.
  • Optimal virulence is a concept relating to the ecology of hosts and parasites.

• Microbes and Ecosystem Niches

  • Microorganisms participate in a host of fundamental ecological processes including production, decomposition, and fixation.
  • In addition, microbial processes can be co-opted for biodegradation or bioremediation of domestic, agricultural, and industrial wastes, making the study of microbial ecology particularly important for biotechnological and environmental applications.
  • The ecological niche of a microorganism describes how it responds to the distribution of resources and competing species, as well as the ways in which it alters those same factors in turn.
  • The precise ecological niche of a microbe is primarily determined by the specific metabolic properties of that organism.
  • Thermophiles, which thrive at relatively high temperatures, occupy a unique ecological niche.

• Microbiota of the Skin

  • The benefits bacteria can offer include preventing transient pathogenic organisms from colonizing the skin surface, either by competing for nutrients, secreting chemicals against them, or stimulating the skin's immune system.
  • There are three main ecological areas for skin flora: sebaceous, moist, and dry.
  • Ecologically, sebaceous areas have greater species richness than moist and dry ones.

• Mutualism vs. Symbiosis

  • Another classic example is the behavior of mutualistic bacteria in ecology and human health.
  • In humans, gut bacteria assist in breaking down additional carbohydrates, out-competing harmful bacteria, and producing hormones to direct fat storage.

• Gammaproteobacteria

  • Gammaproteobacteria is a class of several medically, ecologically and scientifically important groups of bacteria.
  • Gammaproteobacteria is a class of several medically, ecologically and scientifically important groups of bacteria, such as the Enterobacteriaceae (Escherichia coli), Vibrionaceae and Pseudomonadaceae .

• Organization of Ecosystems

  • Microorganisms serve essential roles in the complex nutrient exchange system that defines an ecological community.
  • Despite the fact that clear boundaries between ecosystems may be difficult to identify, the myriad interactions that take place within an ecological community can often be observed and defined.
  • Microorganisms play a vital role in every ecological community by serving both as producers and as decomposers.

• Viral Roles in Ecosystems

  • This is typified by the role of viruses in marine ecology.
  • Phage-ecological interactions therefore are quantitatively vast, with huge numbers of interactions.
  • Phage-ecological interactions are also qualitatively diverse: there are huge numbers of environment types, bacterial-host types, and also individual phage types.

• The Species Concept in Microbiology

  • The number of species of bacteria and archaea is surprisingly small, despite their early evolution, genetic, and ecological diversity.

• Ecological Associations Among Microorganisms

• Nongenetic Categories for Medicine and Ecology

  • In medicine, microorganisms are identified by morphology, physiology, and other attributes; in ecology by habitat, energy, and carbon source.
  • In ecology, microorganisms are classified by the type of habitat they require, or trophic level, energy source and carbon source.
  • Outline the traits used to classify: bacteria, viruses and microrganisms in ecology