Anaerobes

Anaerobes are microorganisms that thrive in environments without oxygen. They can be bacteria, archaea, or fungi and play essential roles in various processes, such as fermentation and decomposition. While some anaerobes can cause infections in humans, others are beneficial, helping to break down organic matter in soil and producing substances like vitamin K in our intestines. Anaerobes are crucial for ecosystems, recycling nutrients and contributing to processes like composting, but their growth conditions differ significantly from oxygen-loving organisms, which makes studying them a unique challenge in microbiology.