Did You Know?
—  There are some microorganisms that eat other
plants or animals. Some microorganisms eat both
plants and animals.
Microorganisms
(Microbe)
Objective: Describe how some
microorganisms (microbe) act like
producers, consumers, and
decomposers.
Review
—  Over 99% of microorganisms/microbes benefit us
and other living organisms.
n  Live in every environment on earth
n  Human digestion depends upon them
n  Important to the food industry and the
productions of many products
n  Milk into yogurt/buttermilk/sour cream/cheese
n  Helps make chocolate, bread products, tea…
n  Help with wastewater and oil spill cleanup
—  A small minority cause disease.
4 Categories of
Microorganisms
“Like Producers”
(Plants)
“Like Consumers”
(Carnivores)
“Like Producers &
Consumers
(Omnivores)
“Like
Decomposers”
Microorganisms
(Microbe)
“Like Producers”
(Plants)
•  Algae – type of
protist
•  Carry out
photosynthesis
•  Lives in Ponds &
ocean
“Like Consumers”
(Carnivores)
“Like Producers &
Consumers
(Omnivores)
•  Amoeba – type of
protist that acts like
an animal in most
ways.
•  Moves to get food –
flows its body in
one direction all
around the food
until it surrounds it
•  Euglena – type of
protist
•  Lives in freshwater
& saltwater/soil &
as parasites in
moist body parts of
animals
•  Llives in Ponds &
streams
•  Carries out
photosynthesis in
bright sunlight &
uses tail to find
food in the dark
“Like Decomposers”
•  Fungi – type of
decomposer that
work over time &
results in rotting.
Mold – type of fungi
that grows on food.
Bacteria-take over
consumes different
nutrient in the dead
matter & change it
into something new
•  breaks down dead
matter
•  Lives in soil, trees,
food
ALGAE
(protists)
—  Found in fresh and salt water environments
—  Can live on rocks, trees, and in soils with enough
moisture
—  Can carry on photosynthesis – produce large
amount of oxygen
Fungi
—  Single celled as yeast or multicellular clusters as molds &
mushrooms
—  Grow best in slightly acidic environment – can grow in low
moisture
—  Live in soil, on plants & animals, in fresh & salt water
—  Baker’s yeast for bread and brewing, some are used for
antibiotics, others serve as decomposers
—  Some cause disease in humans, animals and plants – ruin ¼ to
½ of fruits & vegetables per year
Animal-like Protists
Amoeba
—  Hunt other microbes for food
—  Mainly feed on bacteria
—  Digest food in digestive organelles
—  Most are not harmful
Closure
—  What is our learning objective?
—  What are the 4 categories of microorganisms.
—  Describe how some microbes act like
—  Producers
—  Consumers
—  decomposers
4 Categories of
Microorganisms
“Like Producers”
(Plants)
“Like Consumers”
(Carnivores)
“Like Producers &
Consumers
(Omnivores)
“Like
Decomposers”