BIO330 Microbial Ecology and Physiology

Taking a series of environmental problems of current interest as the point of departure, central topics in aquatic and terrestrial microbial ecology are dealt with:

• Microbial biochemistry; key fuctions for the nitrogen, carbon and sulphur cycles in the biosphere.
• Ecology and physiology of functional groups of microbes.
• Interaction in microbial communities; dependencies between functional groups.
• Symbioses between microbes and eukaryotic organisms.
• Regulatory biology; how microbes react to stimuli, and how this affects survival and growth.
• Kinetics of growth, uptake of nutrients and starvation. Microbes in many environments are starving most of the time, and depend on efficient uptake systems to survive long periods of low/no nutrient input.
• Molecular methods in microbial ecology.

Several of the applied topics in the course are closely connected to several of the UN sustainable development goals:

• Reduction of microbially produced greenhouse gases (nitrous oxide; methane
• Bioreactors (fermentation; methane production)
• Bioremediation (use of microbes to remove pollutants from soil and water)
• Biofertilization (eg use of nitrogen fixing bacteria)
• Modern technologies for wastewater treatment.

The course is based on lectures on selected topics, literature seminars and group discussions related to the curriculum. The lectures cover the most central topics in the textbook. The course also contains exercises in reading scientific literature, which prepare the students for writing their Master´s or PhD thesis. Primary scientific articles are used for the literature seminars. The students are to comment on these and discuss them in plenary. Each student is also required to deliver a written report on an article discussed during the seminars.

Knowledge: A basic insight into microbial processes and interactions that play central roles in the functioning of ecosystems. Knowledge of commonly used methods in modern microbial ecology, with emphasis on molecular methods.

Skills: Ability to interpret and critically read primary scientific literature. Training in scientific writing to prepare the students for writing their Master´s or PhD thesis. Perform kinetics calculations and make simple mathematical models to study microbial activities.

General competences: The theoretical foundation necessary for acquiring knowledge in the subject field by reading primary scientific literature. Intellectual skills that may be used for solving environmental problems and contribute to a sustainable development.