Final answer:
Some organisms, like bacteria, can survive without a specialized transport system due to simple nutrient uptake methods, anaerobic metabolism, and direct environmental exchange, allowing them to adapt and function in various habitats.
Step-by-step explanation:
An organism might be able to survive without a specialized transport system because the organism employs simpler methods for nutrient uptake, waste excretion, and metabolic processes. For instance, some unicellular organisms like bacteria use mechanisms such as simple diffusion, group translocation, or the phosphotransferase system to take in nutrients without the need for a complex transport system. These mechanisms allow the organism to bring in substances effectively without using energy for transport against a concentration gradient.
In the case of eukaryotes that lack a specialized transport system, they may rely on anaerobic metabolism like fermentation to survive and produce energy in the form of ATP, allowing them to function in environments with limited or no oxygen. Furthermore, adaptations like the exchange of gases and nutrients directly with the surrounding environment, as seen in jellyfish and some aquatic plants, enable survival in specific habitats without the need for complex circulatory or respiratory systems.