Article 17: Microbes in Urban Watersheds: Concentrations, Sources and Pathways

M icrobes are problematic. They are small and include hundreds of groups, species, biotypes and strains. They are ubiquitous in the environment, found on nearly every surface of the earth. They exist within us, on us, on plants, soils and in surface waters. They grow rapidly, die off, survive or multiply depending on a changing set of environmental conditions. Some microbes are beneficial to humans, while others exert no impact at all. Other microbes cause illness or disease, and a few can even kill you.