Monera Kingdom
|
The Monera Kingdom consists of all bacteria. Bacteria are one-celled organisms that are made of very simple components. They often lack a nucleus and a cell membrane. Bacteria are universal in that they can be found everywhere. They are even some living in the air you breathe. There are some harmful bacteria that can cause illness and disease and there are others that are essential for us to survive. Bacteria help to break down dead matter and also food in our digestive system. Most organisms in the Monera Kingdom are able to reproduce through a process called fission. This means that a single cell copies its DNA and then divides into two identical cells. Because each cell comes from a previous cell, there is not much diversity among certain monera types. Some moneran bacteria replicate every 20 to 40 minutes. The bacteria of the Monera Kingdom have some very unique and interesting characteristics. They can exist almost anywhere and are very tolerant of both extremely high and low temperatures. Some monera have the ability to move using their flagella but others cannot move on their own. There are a few monera that can make their own food but bacteria cannot. Bacteria feed on dead and decaying matter. Blue-green bacteria or blue-green algae are a special type of moneran bacteria that can produce its own food through photosynthesis. This is because blue-green bacteria contain chlorophyll. |
|
Related Links: Science Archaea vs. Bacteria Virus vs. Bacteria Biology |