What selection(s) from this text about marine microbes supports the argument that microorganisms are critical to survival of oth
er organisms? I. "These organisms are capable of existing in practically any environment". II. "They play many different roles in the marine environment". III. That they are "the base of the food chain". IV. They control "much of the flow of marine energy and nutrients".
<span>The answer is I, II and III. These
microbes can be funds even in hydrothermal vents at the bottom of ocean
trenches where they convert chemicals to organic matter. Most are critical in
the many nutrient cycles such as the nitrogen and carbon cycles. These microbes form the
base of the food chain since they support higher organisms such as paramecium
which are in turn eaten by higher organism such as amoeba. The amoebas are then
fed by tadpoles, for example, and the tadpoles are eaten by fish…and etcetera. </span>