How do microorganisms play an important role in keeping the environment role of microorganisms in the productivity of ecosystem?
Microorganisms help in cleaning up the environment. They decompose dead and decaying matter from plants and animals; convert them into simpler substances which are later used up by other plants and animals. Microorganisms like bacteria and fungi, act as decomposers as they break down the dead and decaying organisms into simpler nutrients that mix with the soil. These nutrients are absorbed by plants during photosynthesis. Many microorganisms carry out the decomposition of dead remains of plants and animals. Spirulina and yeast are used as single-cell proteins. Yeast is used on a commercial basis for the production of alcohol through fermentation. Microorganisms carry out the processing and aging of cheese. Microbes such as bacteria, fungi, and algae play an important role in the bioremediation of xenobiotic compounds like dyes and plastic including pesticides and insecticides like morpholine, methyl parathion, organophosphorus compounds, and benzimidazoles. This is because microorganisms decompose dead organic waste of plants and animals converting them into simple substances. These substances are again used by other plants and animals. Thus, microorganisms can be used to degrade harmful and odourific substances and clean up the environment.
The most significant effect of the microbes on earth is their ability to recycle the primary elements that make up all living systems, especially carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen. Primary production involves photosynthetic organisms which take up CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it to organic material. This is because the microorganisms decompose dead organic waste of plants and animals converting them into simple substances. These substances are again used by other plants and animals. Thus, microorganisms can be used to degrade the harmful and smelly substances and thereby clean up the environment. Microbes are responsible for both production and destruction of foodstuffs and are a key element in reducing waste from spoilage. Some microorganisms can degrade plastics, toxins, and agricultural waste, but some convert excess fertilizer to nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. Microorganisms are the backbone of all ecosystems, but even more so in the zones where photosynthesis is unable to take place because of the absence of light. In such zones, chemosynthetic microbes provide energy and carbon to the other organisms. Microscopic creatures including bacteria, fungi and viruses can make you ill. But what you may not realize is that trillions of microbes are living in and on your body right now. Most don't harm you at all. In fact, they help you digest food, protect against infection and even maintain your reproductive health.
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