A Soil Sample Taken Shortly After a Large Chemical Spill

question 21

Multiple Choice

A soil sample taken shortly after a large chemical spill has occurred reveals only a few living bacteria.Six months later,a second sample from the same site reveals only a single bacterial species,which is present in high numbers.What may have caused this change?

• A) This bacterial species was most likely left at the site by the original sampling equipment.
• B) Animals passing through the area most likely deposited fecal matter full of microbiota.
• C) The bacterial species found in high numbers contains at least one gene that provides a competitive advantage.
• D) The single bacterial species must have been within the gut of a shelter species.

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