Katelyn Stankowski

Schabel Biology - 3rd

Hot Zone Book Project: pt.1

The conversation between Preston and Karl Johnson was mainly about how the Ebola strain
was threatening to become a serious problem if not figured out. Karl Johnson talked to Preston
about how he isnt worried a virus would wipe an entire population and says if anything, about
90% of the population would be the most to perish. Johnson said he actually thinks the virus
would be doing us a favor by thinning out a species if it came to that then proceeded to explain
how he thinks viruses are beautiful and have pureness to them.
Microorganisms can maintain or decrease the health of an ecosystem or the organisms living
within. Some ways microorganisms can maintain the health is by decomposing dead remains or
waste. Examples of these microorganisms would be fungi, or certain bacterias. These types will
provide nutrients for the soil when they decompose bodies, or waste, and help with the growth of
organisms, and a healthy ecosystem. When microorganisms harm a certain organism or
ecosystem they create disease, viruses, and spoil needed food. These types of microorganisms
would be salmonella bacteria, parasites, pathogenic bacteria, etc. These microorganisms can
majorly harm an ecosystem and organisms, by infection. If an organism is infected with a deadly
airborne virus one individual after another will catch the virus, causing a decline in population
and an unstable ecosystem. Ebola bacteria in this book would be a great example of a
microorganism that would harm organisms and their environments by decreasing populations,
and disrupting the balance of species in an ecosystem.