Question

List three ways in which microbes are useful
to us and three ways in which they are
harmful.​

Answer 1

Answer:

Harmful

Bacteria: Causes various diseases such as typhoid, diarrhea, and cholera.

Fungi: Causes a large number of diseases in plants and in animals such as rust diseases in plants, fruit rot in apple, red rot in sugar cane and ring worm disease in human beings.

Algae: Algal boom in water (rapid growth of algae) causes poisonous effect after they die, which in turn results in the death of aquatic organisms.

Protozoa: Causes Amoebic dysentery, pyorrhoea and sleeping sickness etc.

Virus: Cause small fox, common cold, influenza, herpes, hepatitis, polio and rabies.

Microbes can cause

Microbes are also responsible for spoilage of food.

Microbes also causes water pollution eg. Algal bloom causes death of aquatic life.

Microorganisms are sometimes toxic like toxic mushrooms and if sometimes can be eaten became deadly

Microbes also causes inflammation.

Useful

1) Microorganisms in food

Microorganisms are used in the production of fermented food and beverages. E.g. Yeast, Penicillium, Lactobacillus.

2) Microorganisms in Medicine

They also have immense potential in the field of medicine. They are used industrially for the production of antibiotics, vaccines. Insuline, growth hormones and diagnostic kits. E.g. E. coli, Polio virus.

3) Microorganisms in Industry

Industrially important acids, enzymes, pigments are produced with the help of microorganisms. E.g. Aspergillus niger, Bacillus subtilis.

4) Microorganisms in Agriculture

Microorganisms have been ruling in agriculture from the past century. They are used as Biofertilizers and Biopesticides. E.g. Rhizobium, Bacillus, Azotobacter.

5) Microorganisms in Environment

Ability of microorganisms to degrade toxic materials like oil, petroleum, plastic, etc has opened a new field of research. E.g. Pseudomonas, Alcanivorax.

6) Microorganisms in Air

They are also responsible for degradation of dead cells shed from the skin of humans. If it were not for them, we would haveto walk on piles of dead skin cells.

7) Microorganisms in symbiotic associations

In nature, microorganisms have been found to be associated with higher organisms in a symbiotic relationship with diverse functions. E.g. Lichens, Mycorrhizae.

8) Microorganisms in Biotechnology

Microorganisms have evolved as a potential alternate source of energy. Microorganisms are used to produce biofuels like biodiesel, bioalcohol and also microbial fuel cell. E.g. Algae.

9) Microorganisms in evolution

We are all here because of an organism that changed the world. and also paved the way for complex life on earth. That organism is Cyanobacteria. It converted the anaerobic conditions on primitive earth into aerobic conditions by the process of photosynthesis. This lead to the evolution of different organisms and transformation of earth to support life.

10) Microorganisms in waste treatment

Microorganisms play a crucial role is managing and treating domestic and industrial waste.