526-307 Microbial Ecology

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Microbiology & Immunology 526-201 and 526-221; either Biochemistry & Molecular Biology 521-211 and 521-212 or Microbiology & Immunology 526-204 plus either Genetics 652-214 and 652-215 or Cell Biology 606-205 and 606-206.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

By the end of this subject students should be able to:

• appreciate the diversity of the microbial world as the basis for maintaining life on earth and as a source of biotechnological innovation;

• describe the ways in which different microorganisms satisfy their basic requirements for growth and in so doing catalyse the biogeochemical cycles for carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur;

• describe the interactions of microorganisms with each other and in symbiotic or pathogenic relationships with animals and plants;

• understand the molecular basis of the interactions between plants and microorganisms important to human activities;

• understand the roles of microorganisms in processes such as biofilm formation, microbially induced corrosion and bioleaching;

• appreciate how to exploit microorganisms as agents for bioremediation;

• appreciate the roles of microorganisms in extreme environments and their use as sources of biotechnologically useful enzymes.

Assessment

A 3-hour end of semester written examination.