Where Do Microorganisms Live?

The first thing that ever came to the earth is the single-celled microorganisms. These are the first forms of life that developed on the earth. Microorganisms as the name suggests are the smallest form of living things on the planet, they are only seen with the help of a microscope. 

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The existence of microorganisms as a cluster of cells or single-celled was done by two biologists Robert Hooke and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek in 1665-1683. There are a variety of microorganisms present on the earth, some of them are algae, bacteria, or protozoans.

The presence of microorganisms is universal, they are present everywhere. They are present in every place, on the table, on the books, on your skin, etc. Microorganisms can survive in any weather condition whether it is desert, polar region, hot boilers, etc. Their bodies adapt to the weather conditions around them.

Microorganisms and Human beings: Role of Microorganisms

A very important role is played by microorganisms in the life of human beings. Some of the microorganisms are useful and some are harmful. In this article, let us know about some of the useful microorganisms:

Microorganisms Useful for Human Beings

Microorganisms are used for a variety of purposes. They are also used in the production of alcohol, in preparing curd, bread, and cakes. Some of them are also used for cleaning up the environment, for example, bacteria. 

• Used in the production of medicines
• Increase the soil fertility by fixing nitrogen
• They also break down the organic waste into substances that are harmless and reusable.

Microorganisms in the Production of Bread and Curd

The curd that we eat is prepared with the help of bacteria. It is done by the action of bacteria on milk. When a bacterium called lactobacillus present in the milk multiplies itself in the milk then the formation of curd takes place. Cheese, preparation of idli batter, dosa fermentation are prepared with the help of yeast and bacteria.

Baking is done with the help of yeast. Yeast helps in preparing cakes and pastries by multiplying continuously. Yeast produces carbon dioxide which increases the size of the dough due to the formation of a bubble.

Microorganisms useful for Commercial Purposes

Yeasts are developed on natural sugars which produce wine, vinegar, and alcohol in large quantities. Yeast helps in fermentation which converts the sugar into alcohol.

Microorganisms used for Medicinal Purposes

Microorganisms help in the preparation of antibiotics that prevents the growth of microorganisms responsible for causing diseases. The growth of fungi and bacterias help in the production of antibiotics. Some of the antibiotics produced with the help of bacterias are known as: 

• Streptomycin
• Amoxicillin
• Erythromycin

Antibiotics are used in animals to find microbial infections and in plants, it is used to prevent diseases.

Vaccines

To prevent diseases in human beings and animals, vaccines are produced every year. Vaccines are used to prevent diseases such as smallpox, hepatitis, tuberculosis, etc.

How do Vaccines Work?

Whenever those bacterias that cause disease enter our bodies antibodies are produced which help our bodies to fight that disease. Later on, it is stored in the memory of the body and how it fought when that disease happened. These antibodies are present in our bodies and we get protected from those diseases.

Microorganisms for increasing the fertility of the soil

Some bacterias help in the fixation of nitrogen which helps in increasing the fertility of the soil. These bacterias are called biological nitrogen fixers.

Microorganisms cleanse the environment

Microorganisms help in cleaning the environment by decomposing the dead animals and plants. These dead and decaying organic matter gets converted into simpler substances which are later on used by the other animals and plants.

Harmful Microorganisms

Some of the microorganisms also cause diseases that are known as pathogens. They spoil the food, degrade the commercial products, produce diseases, etc.

Communicable diseases are spread by the microorganisms living in the air, water, microbes present on solid objects, etc. Some of the disease-causing microorganisms in human beings are given below: 

Disease-Causing Microorganisms In Animals

Some of the microorganisms also cause disease in animals. For example, bacteria are responsible for causing a deadly disease in animals known as anthrax. This disease can affect both cattle and human beings. Viruses cause mouth and foot diseases.

Disease-Causing Microorganisms in Plants

Pathogens also affect the growth of plants and cause disease in them. Pathogens mitigate the production of apple, orange, potato, rice, etc. Pathogens can be killed with the help of chemicals.

Things to Remember

• Microorganisms as the name suggests are the smallest form of living things on the planet, they are only seen with the help of a microscope. 
• The presence of microorganisms is universal, they are present everywhere. 
• They are present in every place, on the table, on the books, on your skin, etc.
• Some of the microorganisms also cause diseases that are known as pathogens. They spoil the food, degrade the commercial products, produce diseases, etc. 
• Pathogens mitigate the production of apple, orange, potato, rice, etc. 
• Pathogens can be killed with the help of chemicals.