used to describe organisms that are able to grow in either the presence or absence of a specific environmental factor (e.g., oxygen). See also facultative anaerobe.
microorganisms that can grow in either the presence or the absence of molecular oxygen. In the absence of oxygen these microorganism can utilize another compound (e.g., sulfate or nitrate) as a terminal electron acceptor.
an equation describing the rate at which a gas transfers into solution. The change in concentration of gas in solution is proportional to the product of an overall mass transfer coefficient and the concentration gradient.
an equation relating the change of concentration with time due to diffusion to the change in concentration gradient with distance from the source of concentration.
aerobic, multicellular, nonphotosynthetic, heterotrophic microorganisms. The fungi include mushrooms, yeast, molds, and smuts. Most fungi are saprophytes, obtaining their nourishment from dead organic matter. Along with bacteria, fungi are the principal organisms responsible for the decomposition of carbon in the biosphere. Fungi have two ecological advantages over bacteria