Bacteriological indications of human activities in the ecosystems

Abstract

The central role of microbes in the material cycles in Nature is worth studying for understanding the basis of healthy living on this planet. Human actions have been interfering with the balances in the ecosystems. The microbes compensate these effects by establishing new equilibria. The human impacts on the environment can be monitored by researching the microbial communities in soil, water and air. Wetlands as well as forest ecosystems are important sites for transitions in the natural cycles. Some microbiological follow up via satellite technology, or with climatological point of view, as well as with a focus on species distribution have been included. Any waste outlets from municipal, agricultural or industrial sources contain micro-organisms, whose environmental emission has ecological and health effects. Monitoring these effects is important for improving health, promoting the versatility in Nature, and for all efforts to maintain the functionability of the ecosystems. In environmental microbiology, it is not enough to solely track the intestinal indicator organisms. More holistic views on microbiological phenomena are required. The PMEU (Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit) has been included in this chapter as an example of an approach for implementing fast recovery methods, metabolic monitoring, and automated screening of environmental microbes. These techniques are essential for rooting out many devastating bacteriological diseases, such as cholerae, tuberculosis and salmonellosis. The applications with indicator bacteria could also be broadened into the source tracking of the origins of the pollution.