Week 9

Topic : Human Microbiome

On Monday, we continued the topic human microbiome. From this class I have been able to differentiate between parasites, pathogen, pathogenicity, disease and infection. Pathogen is a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its host while pathogenicity is the ability of parasite to inflict damage on the host and on the resistance of the host to the parasite. However not all pathogen are parasites but parasites can be pathogenic to the host.

It is interesting to learn about microorganism in our body. The body contains 10 times more bacteria and other microorganisms than human cells. Some of the microbes are beneficial for us and some may be pathogenic.

Here I share some videos about human microbiome and lets meet your microbiome.

Week 8

Topic : Atmospheric Habitat & Human Microbiome

This week we learn about the topic atmospheric habitat. Before the class on Thursday, we need to do quiz that have been prepared by group 7 on topic atmospheric habitat. They also provide a video and mindmap about this topic. I like the video because each point is well explained and easy to understand. From what I learnt, atmosphere consist of  6 regions ; troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere and ionosphere. Troposphere is nearest to the earth and lower troposphere contain high number of microorganisms. There are 3 stages of dispersal of airborne particles ; liberation --> dispersion in air currents --> deposition. We also have done some quizzes related to this topic in the class. 

For topic human microbiome, my group (group 2) have done the flipped classroom. Through the midsem break, we were busy preparing our flipped classroom. We have prepared some online materials such as infographics, video, mindmap and quiz. As usual before the class, we need to view the materials and do the online quiz. I like this topic because I get to know the role of microbes in our body and the interaction. Besides, I can distinguish between normal flora and pathogenic microbes.

This week also we need to submit our thinglink. Click here to  view my thinglink about soil habitat.

That's all from me for this week :)

Week 7

Topic : Microorganisms in terrestrial ecosystem 

This week we continue with the topic soil population. Bacteria is the numerous microbes in the soil and they can be found on the surfaces of soil particles. Soil bacteria function as decomposers, mutualists, pathogens, and lithotrophs or chemoautotrophs. Besides bacteria, fungi also play important roles in soil as decomposers, mutualists and pathogens or parasites. Verticillium, Phytium and Rhizoctonia are the examples of fungi soil pathogens. Other than bacteria and fungi, there is minority of protozoa which is exposed outer surface of surface particle, only 15 cm from top soil. Soil protozoa function as mineralizing nutrients, regulating bacteria populations and food source.

Microbe plant interaction.

Mycorrhizae can be described as a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and a plant. Due to the fact that this is a symbiotic relationship, both the fungus and the plant benefit from this interaction (mutualistic). Mycorrhizae provide enhanced nutrient uptake for plant. Mycorrhizal associations consists of endomycorrhizae and ectomycorrhizae. 

Endomycorrhizae (left) and ectomycorrhizae (right).

In ectomycorrhizae, nutrients taken up by rhizomorphs pass through hypal sheath then into Hartig net filaments which have numerous contact with root cells.

The most common type of mycorrhizae is arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM). This type of mycorrhizae provide plant host with protection from disease, drought, nematodes and other pests. It also transfer phosphorus to roots and provides ammonium to host. This natural attraction of phosphorus has lead to its ability to become widespread and very comon. Nutrient transport occurs through symbiotic structures inside plant root cells known as arbuscules. 

Arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM).

Topic : Hydrosphere

Before the class on topic hydrosphere, we have to look for the flipped classroom that prepared by group 3. They make a good effort to make the ways of presentation attractive but simple. They had prepared the thinglink for freshwater and marine environment, presentation in videos and also crossword puzzle. And of course before answering the crossword puzzle, I need to study and understand the topic on the link given.

Thinglink on marine environment.

 Crossword puzzle about hydrosphere.

Video presentation about hydrosphere.

Apart from learning about the hydrosphere, I can also find out and learn new application to make our presentation attractive and informative.  

On Friday, we were asked by Dr. Wan to answer a few question based on hydrosphere topic. We need to draw a digram that describe the nutrient cycle in the aquatic environment. I managed to draw the microbial loop diagram although not all correct. Second question is differentiate between oligotrophic and eutrophic lakes. For this question, I was able to state one differences only. :(

microbial loop.

differences between oligotrophic and eutrophic.

From this activity I can know how much that I really know and understand, and which part that I don't understand or maybe I don't really focus on that.

The lecture continued on the zones of lakes or pond based on light penetration and temperature. Littoral zone and limnetic zone get full light penetration while profundal zone which is near the benthic zone get very low penetration of sunlight. Zonation of lakes based on temperature consists of epilimnion, thermocline and hypolimnion. The lowest temperature and light penetration is hypolimnion.

Thats all for this week. :)

Week 6
Topic : Microbial Interaction and         Lithosphere

On Monday, the class is continued with the topic on microbial interaction. We learn about others interaction types ; cooperation, commensalism, predation, parasitism, amensalism and competition. 

Cooperation give benefits to both organisms in relationship but it differs from mutualism because cooperative relationship is not obligatory. Examples of cooperation are the relationships between sulfide-oxidizing bacteria and a variety of animals. Commensalism is one organism benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped. Example of commensalism is nitrification which carried out by two different bacteria; Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. 

Next is predation among microbes which involves a predator species that attack, usually killing its prey. Vampirococcus, Bdellovibrio and Daptobacter are examples of predator where  Vampirococcus have epibiotic mode of attacking prey, Bdellovibrio penetrates cell wall but grows outside plasma membrane and Daptobacter penetrates prey then directly consumes the cytoplasmic contents.

Microbial predators.

In parasitism, one organism gains (parasite) and the other is harmed (host) while in ammensalism, negative impact of one organism on another based on release of a specific compound. Competition occurs when two organism try to acquire or use the same resources. We also have some quizzes based on this topic. In my opinion, this quiz shows how many that we understand about this topic and how we concentrate during lecture. :)

Before class on Thursday, we need to sign up for Voicethread and give comment on the video that presented by group 4 for flipped classroom about the topic microorganism in terrestrial ecosystems. Basically, they did a good job and they explore a new way to present their work. From that I get to know the overview of this topic before entering the class on Thursday. 

This topic is about soil as microbial habitat, microbe plant interactions, soil conditions and microorganism in the soil. Then, we have class activity in group discussion. We need to discuss about microbial habitat in the soil at different depth or layer. My group has find some article and video, and share it in Blendspace.

From this activity, I get to know more about microbial habitat of soil as we have to find some information from article or video. By putting all the information from other groups in Blendspace, we can have more informations about different depths of each layer of the soil.

So, thats all for this week.. (^_^)