PEBO 312 Microbial Ecology and Diversity

This course will take students through the principles of microbial ecology, the micro and macro-environment; taxonomic groups (bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoa, nematodes and other eukaryotic organisms in soil) and the biochemical and biogeochemical cycling (carbon cycle and nitrogen cycle, mineralization of organic phosphates). The course will help the students to associate the relationship between producers, consumers and decomposers and microbial competition in an ecosystem. Students would be taught mechanisms of microbial dispersal and the use of microorganisms as control agents in macro-ecosystems as well as growth of microorganisms on oil and bioremediation, on plants and animals.