An established bacterial community is exposed to a dark environment for several days. Bacteria that require light to reproduce will show------------ compared to bacteria that do not require light to reproduce.
Bacteria that require light to reproduce will show a decrease or halt in reproduction compared to bacteria that do not require light to reproduce.
Bacteria that require light to reproduce will show a decrease in their reproduction rates compared to bacteria that do not require light to reproduce.
Bacteria that require light to reproduce will show decreased or inhibited growth compared to bacteria that do not require light to reproduce.
To understand why bacteria that require light to reproduce will be affected in a dark environment, we need to consider their metabolic pathways. Some bacteria, known as photosynthetic bacteria, utilize light energy to carry out photosynthesis, a process that is essential for their growth and reproduction.
In a dark environment, these photosynthetic bacteria will lack the light energy necessary for photosynthesis. As a result, their metabolic activity will decrease, leading to a reduced growth rate and reproductive capacity. They are unable to generate the energy and nutrients required to support their life processes without light.
On the other hand, bacteria that do not rely on light for reproduction, such as heterotrophic bacteria, obtain their energy and nutrients from organic matter in their surroundings. Therefore, they can continue to carry out their metabolic activities and reproduce even in the absence of light.
In summary, the bacterial community exposed to a dark environment will exhibit a differential response based on their reliance on light for reproduction. Bacteria that require light will have inhibited growth, while bacteria that do not require light will still be able to reproduce.