Anaerobic organism

<p>An anaerobic organism or anaerobe is any <a href="/facts/Organism/j8JkL09u">organism</a> that does not require <a href="/facts/Oxygen/acyn6o8r">molecular oxygen</a> for growth. It may react negatively or even die if free oxygen is present. In contrast, an <a href="/facts/Aerobic_organism/a629EQD7">aerobic organism</a> (aerobe) is an organism that requires an oxygenated environment. Anaerobes may be unicellular (e.g. <a href="/facts/Protozoa/JczTf25H">protozoans</a>, <a href="/facts/Bacteria/wC8xSCsU">bacteria</a>) or multicellular.
Most fungi are obligate <a href="/facts/Aerobes/a629EQD7">aerobes</a>, requiring oxygen to survive. However, some species, such as the <a href="/facts/Chytridiomycota/EEn8uquv">Chytridiomycota</a> that reside in the rumen of cattle, are obligate anaerobes; for these species, anaerobic respiration is used because oxygen will disrupt their metabolism or kill them. The sea floor is possibly one of the largest accumulation of anaerobic organisms on Earth, where microbes are primarily concentrated around <a href="/facts/Hydrothermal_vent/0xPqNUkY"> hydrothermal vents</a>. These microbes produce energy in absence of sunlight or oxygen through a process called <a href="/facts/Chemosynthesis/AFUdIqc5">chemosynthesis</a>, whereby inorganic compounds such as hydrogen gas, <a href="/facts/Hydrogen_sulfide/UbCqjMMk">hydrogen sulfide</a> or ferrous ions are converted into organic matter.
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Anaerobic organism open-in-new

Anaerobic organism