The Cycle of Life

In order to understand the growing use and evolution of bioremediation, we need to understand in simple terms the biological function of bacteria (prokaryotes) and consider their role in the balance of nature…

“If there is food, some organism will eat it. If there is a place to live, some organism will live there. Every species has a great ability to produce offspring and its population expands until it runs out of food or it is limited by competition, its own waste products, or some other factor. Changes in climate or introduction of a new species from elsewhere can greatly affect the existing balance of nature.”

This simple statement summarizes the interactions of all living things on Earth. Bacteria are single-cell organisms and most of them must find foods such as sugars, proteins and vitamins-nutriments to live. The various metabolic capabilities of bacteria are the key traits that we use to group and classify them into their genera/sub-species.

Bacteria species differ greatly in the conditions they need in order to live and grow. Some thrive best in cool places such as soil or bodies of water, while others are able to grow in hot springs, hot water heaters, or undersea volcanoes. The bacteria, which cause disease in mammals and birds, usually grow best at body temperatures. Many bacteria, which cause diseases in snakes, turtles, and other cold-blooded animals, are not able to cause disease in birds or mammals because the high body temperatures kill these bacteria or limit their growth.