The role of bacteria in human life and in nature

Everyone knows that bacteria are the oldest inhabitants of the planet Earth. They appeared, according to scientific data, from three to four billion years ago. And for a long time were the only and full-fledged masters of the Earth. You can say that it all started with bacteria. Roughly speaking, the pedigree of all living organisms is derived from them. So the role of bacteria in human life and nature (its formation) is very significant.

Ode to bacteria

Their structure is very primitive - most of them are unicellular organisms, which, apparently, have changed little in such a very long time. They are unpretentious and can survive in extreme conditions for other organisms (heating up to 90 degrees, freezing, rarefied atmosphere, deep ocean). They live everywhere - in water, soil, underground, in the air, inside other living organisms. And in one gram of soil, for example, hundreds of millions of bacteria can be found. Truly almost ideal creatures that exist close to us. The role of bacteria in human life and nature is great.

Creators of oxygen

Did you know that, most likely, without the existence of these small organisms, we would simply suffocate. Because they (mainly cyanobacteria, capable of releasing oxygen as a result of photosynthesis), because of their large numbers, produce a huge amount of oxygen entering the atmosphere. Especially it becomes relevant in connection with the cutting down of strategically important for the whole Earth forests. And some other bacteria release carbon dioxide, which is necessary for breathing plants. But the role of bacteria in human life and nature is not limited only to this. There are several "activities" for which bacteria can be given an honorable diploma!

Medics

In nature, one of the functions of bacteria is sanitary. They eat dead cells and organisms, utilizing unnecessary. It turns out that the bacteria for all living things on the planet work as original wipers. In science, this phenomenon is called saprotrophy.

Cycle of substances

And another important role is the participation in the circulation of substances on a planetary scale. In nature, all substances pass from the body to the body. Sometimes they are in the atmosphere, sometimes in the soil, supporting a large-scale cycle. Without bacteria, these components could be concentrated somewhere in one place, and great cycles would be interrupted. This happens, for example, with a substance such as nitrogen.

Lactic acid production

Milk is a product known to people. But its long-term storage became possible only recently with the invention of methods of conservation and refrigeration. And since the birth of cattle breeding, people unconsciously used bacteria to ferment milk and produce fermented milk products of longer storage than milk itself. For example, kefir in dry form could be stored for months and used as a nutritious food for long transitions through desert areas. In this regard, the role of bacteria in human life is invaluable. After all, if these organisms "offer" milk, they can make from it a lot of tasty and irreplaceable food. Among them: yoghurt, yogurt, ryazhenka, sour cream, cottage cheese, cheese. Kefir, of course, is mainly made by fungi, but without the involvement of bacteria, it can not do.

Great chefs

But the "food-forming" role of bacteria in human life is not limited only to sour-milk products. There are still many customary products that we already produce, which are produced with the help of these organisms. This sauerkraut, salted (cask) cucumber, favorite by many salting and other products.

The best in the world "neighbors"

Bacteria are the most numerous kingdom of animal organisms in nature. They live everywhere - around us, on us, even - inside us! And they are very useful "neighbors" for a person. So, for example, bifidobacteria strengthen our immunity, increasing the resistance of the body to many diseases, help digestion and do many more things. Thus, the role of bacteria in human life as good "neighbors" is just as invaluable.

Production of essential substances

Scientists were able to work with bacteria so that they as a result began to allocate the substances necessary for a person. Often these substances are medicines. So the therapeutic role of bacteria in human life is also great. Some modern medicines are produced by them or are based on their action.

The role of bacteria in industry

Bacteria are great biochemists! In modern industry this property is widely used. For example, in recent decades biogas production in some countries has reached a serious scale.

The negative and positive role of bacteria

But these microscopic unicellular can not only be human helpers and coexist with him in complete harmony and peace. The greatest danger that they conceal in themselves are infectious diseases caused by bacteria. Settling inside of us, poisoning the tissues of our body, they are certainly harmful, sometimes deadly to humans. Among the most famous dangerous diseases caused by bacteria are plague, cholera. Less serious are tonsillitis and pneumonia, for example. Thus, some bacteria can pose a significant danger to humans if they are pathogenic. Therefore, scientists and doctors of all time try to "control" these harmful microorganisms.

Deterioration of products by bacteria

If the meat is rotten, and the soup is sour, this is probably the "work of the hands" of bacteria! They get up there and actually "eat" these foods before us. After that, for people, these dishes no longer represent nutritional value. It remains only to throw it away!

Results

When answering the question, what role do bacteria play in human life, one can identify both positive and negative points. However, it is obvious that the positive properties of bacteria are much more than negative. It's all about the reasonable control of a person over this numerous kingdom.