Roles of Microbial Metabolism in Photosynthesis Nitrogen Fixation and Biogeochemical Cycling
Microbial metabolism underlies major biogeochemical processes: microbes were the first organisms to evolve photosynthesis, and many derive energy chemolithotrophically from inorganic compounds (hydrogen, reduced iron, sulfides) without light, enabling growth in dark or extreme environments. Microbial activity also drives nitrogen fixation (converting atmospheric nitrogen gas into biologically usable forms), organic matter decomposition and carbon cycling, and mineral/atmospheric transformations such as sulfur- and calcite-based geochemical cycling, positioning microorganisms as foundational agents within ecology and biogeochemistry.
Roles of Microbial Metabolism in Photosynthesis Nitrogen Fixation and Biogeochemical Cycling
Microbial metabolism underlies major biogeochemical processes: microbes were the first organisms to evolve photosynthesis, and many derive energy chemolithotrophically from inorganic compounds (hydro…