Kingdom MONERA

Phylum Firmicutes

Phylum Cyanophyta

General Characteristics• It is in some respects the largest kingdom.

• It contains the tiniest known cells.

• Members of the group are called monerans.

• It is estimated that monerans are more numerous and have a greater combined weight than any other living things on the earth.

• Key characteristic which places organisms in the kingdom by themselves: they are all procaryotic.

• Monerans thrive in places where no other living thing is known to exist.

procaryotic

lack membranes around their nuclei

Interesting Facts• Been found in the atmosphere 20,000 feet up; they ride

on dust particles.• Been found in hot springs at 185o F.• Been found in melted glacial water, below 32o F.• A single drop of water can contain 50 billion bacteria.• One gram of common soil contains from 1 million to

100 million of them.• Every cubic meter of air contains 100-20,000 of them.

They exist in every natural water supply (including the water you drink).

• Hundreds of 1,000's of monerans grow and thrive in your body.

Phylum Firmicutes bacteria & similar organisms

Key Role of Bacteria

to decompose organisms in the soil and water

Other Uses:

forming cheeses, making vinegar, making butter, making cultured buttermilk, retting flax, making sauerkraut, tanning leather, forming silage

Clostridium botulinum

Escherichia coli

Phylum Cyanophytablue-green algae

Anabaena

General Characteristics

• They can live alone in water, soil, or even snow.

• Many float in water; some appear to slide along.

• Many grow in chains of cells called filaments (long, thin strands of similar cells).

• Some colonies are shaped like discs or globs.

• Certain blue-green algae, when in abundance, affect the taste or smell of water. Others produce poisons, making the water unfit to drink.

Gleocapse