Environmental Biotechnology and Microbial Ecology
What is?
Microbial ecology may be defined as the scientific studies of interactions and basic principles that determine the distribution and abundance of microorganisms. It is therefore a basic platform for analyses of ecological problems as well as a fundament for development of new technologies.
Environmental biotechnology is the application of biotechnology for solving environmental problems, both in the environment per se (e.g. bioremediation) or in man made ecosystems (e.g. sewage treatment plants). In open systems, this can only be achieved by applying ecological principles and cooperating with the local microbiota based on a “join them” instead of a “beat them” strategy.
Thus, while microbial ecology tries to understand microbial ecosystems, environmental biotechnology tries to manipulate them, creating what we may denote “un-natural” or purposely man-made as opposed to “natural” ecosystems.
Microbial ecology:
As a rationale for the importance of Microbial ecology it is tempting to cite the famous theoretical ecologist Robert M. May of the University of Oxford “Whether you are interested in how ecosystems evolved, their current functioning or how they are likely to respond to climate change, you’re going to learn a lot more by looking at soil microorganisms than at charismatic vertebrates.” To indicate the significance of microorganisms: they inhabit all ecosystems with macrobes and numerous other habitats, all aquatic ecosystems has a microbial basis, microbes are essential for all biogeochemical cycles, microbes are essential for functioning and services provided by all ecosystems – including humans, microbes a.o.
Issues dealt with in microbial ecology may be of fundamental character or of a more applied nature, as the case in environmental biotechnology. Key issues in microbial ecology are:
- Limiting factors for critical processes and significant organisms
- Identification of key biotic interactions
- Structure and function of food webs
Environmental biotechnology:
In principle, Environmental biotechnology may include:
- Cleaning of effluents and treatment of waste
- Alternative and more environmental friendly processes
- Alternative and more environmental friendly products
Biocatalysed processes may be more environmental friendly because they give less by-products and can be run at lower temperatures. Products may be made more biodegradable, such as new types of plastic materials and polymers or new types of detergents. In practice, however, environmental biotechnology is mainly the first alternative, with fields of application such as a) biological (waste)water treatment (removal of organics, N, P, S, metals), b) biological flue gas treatment (removal of odour, sulphide, volatile aromatics), c) bioremediation of soil (degradation of xenobiotcs, oil, PAH, PCB), d) biodegradation of hazardous waste (xenobiotics, hazardous compounds), e) Biofuel and biogas production from wet organic waste.
The metagenomics era:
Previously, development was restricted by the fact that most of the relevant microbes pure cultures could not be established, and thereby cannot be studied by classic microbiological methods. Now, molecular biology has developed new methods and gene probes that make it possible to label and study even non-culturable bacteria and populations in situ, that is in nature or in a treatment plant. This has revolutionised the whole field of microbial ecology in a way that the scientists of the American Society of Microbiology (ASM) in 2002 characterised as "a crossroads of opportunity” and the engineers of the International Water Association (IWA ) already in 1997 as "The key to the design of biological wastewater treatment systems". Ecogenomics was the term of this new field proposed by ASM. However, the alternative denotation metagenomics now seems to take over:
Metagenomics (also denoted environmental genomics, ecogenomics or community genomics) may simply be defined as the study of genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples. It will form a strong interconnective scientific link between the development of environmental biotechnology and microbial ecology for the future.
See also the International Society for Microbial Ecology ISME .
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:20:37 +0200
NOTICE BOARD:
Ingrid Hauser from Austria is employed as a PhD Fellow for three years starting 10 September 2011. Her nearest supervisor is Francisco Cervantes.
Kari Johanne Kihle Attramadal successfully defended her thesis "Water treatment as an approach to increase microbial control in the culture of cold water marine larvae" on 15 September. Her trial lecture was on the prescribed subject: "Water treatment for microbial control in the drinking water industry and in land based aquaculture - differences and similarities in objectives and use of technology." Congratulations!
Francisco Javier Cervantes from Mexico started working as our new Professor in Environmental Biotechnology on 1 September.
New Publication: Olsen, Y., Andersen, T., Gismervik, I. and Vadstein, O. (2011). Marine heterotrophic bacteria, protozoan and metazoan zooplankton may experience protein N or mineral P limitation in coastal waters. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 436, 81–100.
Ingrid Hauser got her master thesis approved 21 June 2011: "Biological treatment of process waste water of an amine based CO2 -capture plant" at Graz University of Technology, Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz.
Anna Synnøve Røstad Nordgård was appointed Chemist of the Month for June 2011 by our Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology, see http://www.ntnu.no/nt.
Kristine Flesche completed her master study 10 June 2011: "Pro- and prebiotica for cod larvae".
Anja Valen completed her master study 10 June 2011: "Characterization of airborne microorganisms at Nationalteateret subway station". Her work has been performed at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), Division for Protection, Oslo.
Ida Maria Evensen completed her master study 9 June 2011: "Biofuel from kelp – Fermentation of alginate to ethanol".
Hilde Rau Heien completed her master study 9 June 2011: "Biodiesel from microalgae – Role of nutrient limitation for synthesis and yield of lipids and carbohydrates in diatoms".
Eli Bjørnø Sjulstad completed her master study 9 June 2011: "Effect of gastrointestinal microbiota on growth in mangrove killifish (Kryptolebias marmoratus) and Atlantic cod (Gadhus morhua)".
New Publication: Forberg, T., Arukwe, A. and Vadstein, O. 2011. A protocol and cultivation system for gnotobiotic Atlantic cod larvae (Gadus morhua L.) as a tool to study host microbe interactions. Aquaculture 315: 222–227.
New Publication: Forberg, T., Arukwe, A. and Vadstein, O. 2011. Two strategies to unravel gene expression responses of host-microbe interactions in cod (Gadus morhua) larvae. Aquaculture Research 42: 664-676.
New Publication: Bakke, I., De Schyver, P., Bono, N. and Vadstein, O. 2011. PCR-based community structure studies of Bacteria associated with eukaryotic organisms: A simple PCR strategy to avoid co-amplification of eukaryotic DNA. J. Microbiol Methods 84: 349–351.
New Publication: Vadstein, O. (2011). Large variation in growth-limiting factors for marine heterotrophic bacteria in the Arctic waters of Spitsbergen (78° N). Aquat. Microb. Ecol. 63, 289–297.
New Publication: Fjellheim, A.J., K. Playfoot, I.M. Aasen, G. Klinkenberg, J. Skjermo and O. Vadstein. (2010). Selection of candidate probionts by two different screening strategies from Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) larvae. Veterinary Microbiology 144 (2010) 153–159.
New Publication: Attramadal, K., Buran, A., Øie, G., Vadstein, O. and Olsen, Y. (2010). Recirculation: Microbial control strategy for intensive marine larviculture. Global aquaculture advocate. 63-65.
New Publication: Hess-Erga, O.-K., Blomvågnes-Bakke, B. and Vadstein, O. (2010). Recolonization by heterotrophic bacteria after UV irradiation or ozonation of seawater; a simulation of ballast water treatment. Water Research 44, 5439-5449.
Elise Fagerheim got her master thesis approved 12 Oct 2010: "Overlevelse av bakterier og virus i grunnvann".
Hilde Rau Heien got a full 3-page interview presentation in the Magasinet Tekna No 4 issue of 2010, in the "På arbeidsplassen" (at work) series, revealing her summer job for a Statoil project under the title "Full tank - med alger". Please see
http://viewer.zmags.com/showmag.php?linksid=1303#/page26/
Tu Anh Vo completed her master study 19 August 2010: "Characterisation of the intestinal flora of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) - impact of rearing conditions".
Anna Synnøve Ødegaard Røstad got her master thesis approved 17 Aug 2010: "Biogas Trøndelag: Microbial methods for design and operation of local biogas facilities".
Julie Anita Skjæran got her master thesis approved 17 Aug 2010: "Biological nitrogen removal from process waste water of a CO2-capture plant".
Monika Halavaara completed her master study 23 June 2010, approved at Tampere University of Technology: "Biodiesel of microalgae - effect of growth limitation and irradiance up-shift on chemical composition of Phaeodactylum tricornutum."
The group participated at the Gut Microbiology conference in Abberdeen (http://www.rowett.ac.uk/Rowett-INRA2010) with one oral and two poster presentations.
Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:19:43 +0200
