Environmental Microbiology: Microbes and Their Roles in Ecosystems

Environmental Microbiology: Microbes and Their Roles in Ecosystems

Authors

  • Kasmawati Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Graha Nusantara University, Padangsidimpuan, Indonesia
  • Eni Sumanti Nasution Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Graha Nusantara University, Padangsidimpuan, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55299/ijoss.v1i2.17

Keywords:

Environmental Microbiology, Microbial Roles in Ecosystems, Ecosystem Services

Abstract

Environmental microbiology is a critical field that explores the intricate relationships between microorganisms and their environments. This study investigates the roles of microorganisms in various environmental contexts, focusing on their diversity, abundance, and ecological functions. Samples were collected from agricultural soils, freshwater bodies, industrial wastewater, and urban air, and analyzed using culture-based and molecular techniques. The results revealed significant variations in microbial abundance and diversity across the sampled environments. Agricultural soils exhibited the highest microbial abundance and diversity, with nitrogen-fixing bacteria playing a crucial role in nutrient cycling. In contrast, freshwater bodies showed moderate diversity, while industrial wastewater had the highest abundance but lower diversity, with a high prevalence of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms. Urban air samples had the lowest abundance but relatively high diversity. The biochemical capabilities of the isolates further emphasized the ecological roles of these microorganisms, particularly in bioremediation and soil fertility. The findings underscore the importance of preserving microbial diversity for maintaining ecosystem health and resilience. This research highlights the need for integrating microbiological insights into environmental management policies and suggests future research directions to explore microbial interactions and their potential applications in biotechnology and environmental remediation.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bardgett, R. D., & van der Putten, W. H. (2014). Belowground biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Nature, 515(7528), 505-511. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature13855

Bitton, G. (2005). Wastewater Microbiology. John Wiley & Sons. https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Wastewater+Microbiology%2C+4th+Edition-p-9781118148150

Brock, T. D., Madigan, M. T., Martinko, J. M., & Parker, J. (2019). Biology of Microorganisms (14th ed.). Pearson. https://www.pearson.com/nl/en_NL/higher-education/subject-catalogue/biology/Brock-Biology-of-Microorganisms-Madigan.html

Gao, Y., Zhang, M., & Xu, Y. (2021). The role of microbial communities in ecosystem resilience and sustainability. Environmental Microbiology Reports, 13(3), 374-385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejsobi.2021.103308

Hidayati, N., Rahmawati, R., & Sari, D. (2020). The role of microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems. Jurnal Biologi Indonesia, 16(1), 45-56. https://jurnalbiologi.perbiol.or.id/

Holt, J. M., Kelsey, T. R., & Houghton, R. A. (2019). Keystone species and their role in maintaining ecological balance. Ecological Applications, 29(8), e01964. https://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2311015.pdf

Johnson, L. T., Smith, R. J., & Thompson, A. (2019). Nutrient loading and microbial community dynamics in freshwater ecosystems. Aquatic Microbial Ecology, 81(2), 123-135. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4612-3382-4

Johnson, R. T., & Lee, K. (2021). Impacts of pollution on water and soil quality: A comprehensive review. Environmental Science & Policy, 114, 1-10. doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2020.09.003.

Liu, X., He, Y., & Wang, L. (2021). The impact of land-use changes on soil microbial communities and greenhouse gas emissions. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 153, 108094. https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/soil-biology-and-biochemistry

López-Gutiérrez, J. C., Chavarria, K., & Mendez, J. (2019). Microbial diversity and ecosystem functioning: A review. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10, 1-13. https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/41436/microbial-diversity-and-ecosystem-functioning-in-fragmented-rivers-worldwide/magazine

Madigan, M. T., Martinko, J. M., & Parker, J. (2020). Brock Biology of Microorganisms (17th ed.). Pearson. https://www.pearson.com/nl/en_NL/higher-education/subject-catalogue/biology/Brock-Biology-of-Microorganisms-Madigan.html

Martinez, A., et al. (2020). Potential of microbial communities in industrial wastewater for hydrocarbon degradation: Implications for bioremediation. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 392, 122437. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122437

Prasetyo, L. B., Widianto, I., & Nurhayati, N. (2021). Biotechnology applications in enhancing soil microbial diversity. Indonesian Journal of Agricultural Science, 22(2), 123-130. https://repository.pertanian.go.id/collections/5af590f2-2f10-4125-95a0-4f7fc05864d8

Retno Tri Astuti, Hefti Salis Yufidasari, Angga Wira Perdana, Ivan Permana Putra, Qurrota Aýun, Megawati Kusuma. (2022). Mikrobiologi: Konsep Dasar dan Teknik Laboratorium. Universitas Brawijaya Press. https://books.google.co.id/books?id=EGmuEAAAQBAJ&printsec=copyright&hl=id#v=onepage&q&f=false

Rittmann, B. E., et al. (2017). Environmental biotechnology: Principles and applications. Environmental Science & Technology, 51(4), 1957-1965. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b05943.

Smith, H. G., et al. (2020). Microbial interactions and ecosystem functioning: Implications for sustainability. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, 1234. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2020.01234

Smith, J. A., Brown, C. D., & Green, E. F. (2018). Microbial diversity and ecosystem resilience: A review. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 116, 1-10. https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/soil-biology-and-biochemistry

Smith, J. A., et al. (2019). The effects of environmental disruption on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Ecological Applications, 29(5), e01945. doi:10.1002/eap.1945

Suharjo, S., Handayani, S., & Setiawati, N. (2021). Role of microbial communities in nutrient cycling in tropical ecosystems. Indonesian Journal of Agricultural Science, 22(1), 15-24. https://repository.pertanian.go.id/collections/5af590f2-2f10-4125-95a0-4f7fc05864d8

Widianto, I., Prasetyo, L. B., & Nurhayati, N. (2022). Enhancing microbial diversity for sustainable agriculture in Indonesia. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment, 6(2), 67-75. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/2767035x

Zhang, J., Wang, Y., & Liu, Z. (2020). Impact of pollution on microbial diversity and ecosystem functions. Ecosystem Health and Sustainability, 6(1), 1-12. https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tehs20/current

Zhang, Y., et al. (2018). Microbial diversity and its role in ecosystem services: A review. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 125, 70-81. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.07.004

Downloads

Published

2024-12-28

How to Cite

Kasmawati, & Nasution, E. S. (2024). Environmental Microbiology: Microbes and Their Roles in Ecosystems. International Journal of Natural Science Studies and Development (IJOSS), 1(2), 95–102. https://doi.org/10.55299/ijoss.v1i2.17

Issue

Section

Articles
Loading...