Growth
of
Microorganisms
Microorganisms
represent
a
significant
percentage
of
the
total
biomass
on
the
earth.
As
a
result
of
high
rates
of
their
growth
and
metabolic
activity
and
their
adaptability,
they
are
found
almost
everywhere
and
occupy
an
important
trophic
position
in
the
proper
functioning
of
ecosystems.
They
are
ubiquitous
in
distribution.
Any
part
of
the
biosphere
supporting
the
complex,
multicellular
higher
organisms
shall
contain
microorganisms,
whereass
the
converse
is
not
true.
Growth
may
be
defined
as
the
orderly
increase
in
all
cellular
constituents
and
results
from
the
biosynthetic
and
energy
generating
processes.
The
growth
may
refer
to
the
increase
in
mass
of
a
single
cell
or
to
the
increase
in
size
of
a
population
of
cells.
We
shall
briefly
consider
those
both
levels
of
growth
of
unicellular
microbes
as
well
as
of
multicellular
mycelial
growth
forms
such
as
fungi,
actinomycetes.
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