The Economic Importance of Bacteria in the Environment

The Economic Importance of Bacteria in the Environment

Abstract

The goal of this study is to investigate the economic value of environmental bacteria using a case study of Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture (MOUA), Abia State. The study used a survey research design, and using a purposive sample, sixty (60) students from the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture’s microbiology department were chosen to participate. With the use of questionnaires as a tool to gather the required data, the sources of data collection were both primary and secondary. The questionnaires were correctly filled out after being given, and thus served as the foundation for gathering the primary data. Simple percentages were used in tables and frequencies to examine the data. Findings from the study show that bacteria have some economic benefits in agriculture, including helping to clean up the environment, fixing atmospheric nitrogen, and facilitating the uptake of nitrogen by plants. Bacteria also have some economic benefits for the pharmaceutical industry. Bacteria are helpful in the manufacturing of vaccines, antibiotics, vitamins, and medicinal teas. They are also helpful in the production of dairy products, wine, and food processing in the baking industries. The study so suggests that since Bacterial illnesses are caused by several parasite microorganisms. They infect humans, domesticated animals, and our industrial plants with diseases. Therefore, during the development of medications and in experimental settings, microbiologists and physicians should assure the start of a method to monitor the general metabolic activity of bacteria.

Chapiter 1

Introduction

1.1 Study’s Background

The term “environment” is all-inclusive and refers to all the elements that go into creating one’s surroundings. The environment includes everything that surrounds a person, including the air they breathe, the land they live on, the water they drink, and all other living and non-living things1. Ecosystems are made up of environments. An ecosystem is a group of microorganisms along with the physical and chemical conditions in which they live and work. The entire Earth’s biosphere, also known as the ecosphere, is organized, along with the abiotic environments it inhabits. It can be broken down into the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and litho-ecosphere to identify the portions of the earth’s surface occupied by living beings in the soil, water, and air, respectively. Through the processes of natural selection and elimination, the environment has made a considerable contribution to the evolution of the biological spectrum. Since ancient times, the environment has shaped and influenced how people live.

Notably, there are microorganisms present in the environment. Within the habitats of the ecospheres, microorganisms exist. The habitat is just one part of the ecological niche, a broad notion that encompasses both an organism’s habitat and its functional range. The functional place that an organism fills in an environment is known as its niche. Microorganisms can be native or allochthonous, or they might be imported. Because they are everywhere, microbes have an impact on the entire ecosystem. They can be found almost everywhere on Earth, even in some of the most severe settings, such as frozen landscapes and hydrothermal vents as well as acidic lakes and the deepest oceans. Each of the three kingdoms of life—Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya—contains microorganisms.

The oldest and most prevalent life forms on the planet are bacteria and their phages. Bacteria are simple, single-celled creatures. Although tiny, bacteria are strong and intelligent, and they can endure harsh environments. The basic biological functions that all organisms must carry out, such as central metabolism, replication, transcription, translation, protein targeting, assembly and structure of macromolecular complexes, protein folding, stress responses, error-correcting mechanisms, signal transduction, and developmental programs, are also better understood by studying bacteria. Because microorganisms offer such tunable experimental settings, these mechanisms are more readily defined in model bacteria and associated phages than in other organisms. Dissecting the intricate metabolic and regulatory networks that govern these processes requires a wide range of genetic and biochemical instruments and data that have been gathered from fundamental studies on bacteria3. Despite the fact that our environment is full of bacteria that can cause a wide range of human diseases, microbes have been shown to have positive environmental effects. this is due to the fact that since green plants are the only source of food for animals, they enable the continuous survival of both plants and animals.

1.2 A description of the issue

The biosphere is full of microbes, and each one has an impact on the environment in which it is thriving. While certain microorganisms are dangerous to humans and the environment, others are crucial to commerce. The benefits and drawbacks of a particular organism to the environment, people, and other living things are referred to as its economic importance. [3] states that depending on how they are measured or observed by humans, the effects of microorganisms like bacteria on their environment may be advantageous, destructive, or undetectable. The oldest and most prevalent life forms on the planet are bacteria and their phages. Since they co-evolved with humanity, bacteria have benefited human health. Our natural microbiota, which is vital for healthy growth, nutrient absorption, and disease resistance, is over ten times as numerous as human cells in our bodies.Bacteria are crucial to many industries, including agriculture and manufacturing. In general, there aren’t a lot of studies or focus on how bacteria and the environment interact to affect the delicate ecological balance between humans and microorganisms and, ultimately, balance health and sickness. The researcher was thus obligated to investigate this study to look at the economic significance of microorganisms in the environment.

1.3 Purpose of the investigation

This study’s main objective is to investigate the economic value of environmental bacteria.The research specifically aims to:

to determine whether bacteria affects the balance between humans and the environment.

to ascertain the function of bacteria in business and agriculture.

to determine whether microorganisms play a role in balancing health and sickness.

1.4 Research Problem

Does bacteria affect the balance of plants, animals, and the environment?

What functions do bacteria perform in industry and agriculture?

Are microorganisms economically significant in balancing health and disease?

1.5 Importance of the research

The study’s findings will be applicable both empirically and practically. The beneficial impacts of microorganisms result from their environmental metabolic activities, their interactions with plants and animals, and their usage in biotechnological and food production processes. Practically speaking, the study’s findings will inform scientists about the financial significance of bacteria in fields including clinical sciences, medicines, manufacturing, and environmental biology. Empirically, the results of this study will add to the body of knowledge and be used as a resource by academics and students who wish to pursue additional research in a similar area.

1.6 Study’s purview

This study’s focus extends to the economic value of environmental bacteria. The taxonomy of bacteria and their relative significance to human health, to plants, and to the biosphere will also be covered in this study. The study would include a sample of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Abia State, microbiology students.

1.7 Study’s limitations

While conducting the study, the researchers ran into some minor obstacles, just as in every human endeavor. The dearth of literature on the topic of the economic significance of microorganisms in the environment was a serious constraint. So finding the pertinent resources, books, or information and the data collection process took a lot of effort and planning. Additionally, the study only included microbiology students at Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture in Abia State and has a small sample size. therefore, the results of this