Textbook Question
The koala is a leaf-eating animal. What can you infer about its digestive system?
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Ch. 27 - Environmental Microbiology
Tortora14th EditionMicrobiology: An IntroductionISBN: 9780138200398
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - The Microbial World and You18
- Ch. 2 - Chemical Principles20
- Ch. 3 - Observing Microorganisms Through a Microscope18
- Ch. 4 - Functional Anatomy of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells21
- Ch. 5 - Microbial Metabolism20
- Ch. 6 - Microbial Growth20
- Ch. 7 - The Control of Microbial Growth20
- Ch. 8 - Microbial Genetics19
- Ch. 9 - Biotechnology & DNA Technology20
- Ch. 10 - Classification of Microorganisms15
- Ch. 11 - The Prokaryotes: Domains Bacteria and Archaea14
- Ch. 12 - The Eukaryotes: Fungi, Algae, Protozoa, and Helminths17
- Ch. 13 - Viruses, Viroids, and Prions20
- Ch. 14 - Principles of Disease and Epidemiology21
- Ch. 15 - Microbial Mechanisms of Pathogenicity19
- Ch. 16 - Innate Immunity: Nonspecific Defenses of the Host20
- Ch. 17 - Adaptive Immunity: Specific Defenses of the Host20
- Ch. 18 - Practical Applications of Immunology20
- Ch. 19 - Disorders Associated with the Immune System19
- Ch. 20 - Antimicrobial Drugs19
- Ch. 21 - Microbial Diseases of the Skin and Eyes21
- Ch. 22 - Microbial Diseases of the Nervous System19
- Ch. 23 - Microbial Diseases of the Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems20
- Ch. 24 - Microbial Diseases of the Respiratory System20
- Ch. 25 - Microbial Diseases of the Digestive System20
- Ch. 26 - Microbial Diseases of the Urinary and Reproductive Systems19
- Ch. 27 - Environmental Microbiology20
- Ch. 28 - Applied and Industrial Microbiology19
Tortora14th EditionMicrobiology: An IntroductionISBN: 9780138200398Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 27, Problem 2
For the following question, answer whether
a. The process takes place under aerobic conditions.
b. The process takes place under anaerobic conditions.
c. The amount of oxygen doesn’t make any difference.
Denitrification
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the process of denitrification. Denitrification is a microbial process where nitrate (NO\_3\^-) is reduced to nitrogen gas (N\_2) or other nitrogenous gases, effectively removing bioavailable nitrogen from the environment.
Step 2: Recall the environmental conditions required for denitrification. This process is typically carried out by facultative anaerobic bacteria that use nitrate as an alternative electron acceptor when oxygen is limited or absent.
Step 3: Analyze the role of oxygen in denitrification. Since these bacteria prefer oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor when it is available, denitrification generally occurs under low or no oxygen conditions because oxygen inhibits the enzymes involved in denitrification.
Step 4: Conclude the oxygen requirement. Because denitrification happens when oxygen is scarce or absent, it takes place under anaerobic conditions.
Step 5: Summarize the answer choice. Therefore, the correct choice for denitrification is that it takes place under anaerobic conditions.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Denitrification Process
Denitrification is a microbial process where nitrate (NO3-) is reduced to nitrogen gas (N2), completing the nitrogen cycle. It is primarily carried out by facultative anaerobic bacteria that use nitrate as an alternative electron acceptor when oxygen is limited.
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Aerobic vs Anaerobic Conditions
Aerobic conditions require oxygen for microbial metabolism, while anaerobic conditions lack oxygen. Some microbes switch to alternative electron acceptors like nitrate under anaerobic conditions, enabling processes such as denitrification to occur only when oxygen is scarce.
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Role of Oxygen in Denitrification
Oxygen presence inhibits denitrification because microbes prefer oxygen as the electron acceptor due to its higher energy yield. Denitrification mainly occurs under anaerobic or low-oxygen conditions, making oxygen availability a critical factor in regulating this process.
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Related Practice
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Why is the phosphorus cycle important?
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Give one possible explanation of why Penicillium would make penicillin, given that the fungus does not get bacterial infections.
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Textbook Question
For the following question, answer whether
a. The process takes place under aerobic conditions.
b. The process takes place under anaerobic conditions.
c. The amount of oxygen doesn’t make any difference.
Activated sludge system
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Textbook Question
In the sulfur cycle, microbes degrade organic sulfur compounds, such as (a) _________________, to release H₂S, which can be oxidized by Acidithiobacillus to (b) _________________. This ion can be assimilated into amino acids by (c) _________________ or reduced by Desulfovibrio to (d) _________________. H2S is used by photoautotrophic bacteria as an electron donor to synthesize (e) _________________. The sulfur-containing by-product of this metabolism is (f) _________________.
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Textbook Question
For the following question, answer whether
a. The process takes place under aerobic conditions.
b. The process takes place under anaerobic conditions.
c. The amount of oxygen doesn’t make any difference.
Nitrogen fixation
717
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