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Types of Microbes

The six main types of microbes: archaea, bacteria, fungi, protista, viruses, and microbial mergers. Archaea flourish in extreme environments much like the ones encountered billions of years ago. As such, they are thought to be able to provide clues to what the earliest form of life were like. They are found in frigid oceans, in highly sulfurous lakes and in boiling hot geysers. Bacteria are like the cousins of archaea. They are found in everything and are the most prolific organisms around; one teaspoon of common soil is said to contain around one billion bacteria. They too are “extremophiles” that survive in the harshest environments. Bacteria oftentimes cause disease, but they are also used for the production of vitamins and the composting of garbage.

Fungi are often not microbes, but an example of a single-cell fungus is yeast, used for baking. They are also used for composting. Protista are broken down into four categories: algae, protozoa, water molds and slime molds. They are fundamental in producing oxygen and for maintaining microbial balance. Viruses are parasites that are not able to function unless inside a host. They are the source of many diseases, and yet have the significant ability to move DNA from one organism to another. They are the smallest of all the microbes. As the name suggests, microbial mergers are microscopic collaborations for the purpose of symbiosis.

Web Resources On Types of Microbes

Types of Microbes
Wikipedia: Microbes

Book Resources On Types of Microbes

Stalking Microbes by Richard P. Wenzel
Microbes and Society: An Introduction to Microbiology by I. Edward Alcamo

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