Question

What does halophilic mean?

It means the organism grows well in an acidic environment.
It means the organism grows at body temperature.
It means the organism is "salt loving".
It means the organism's colonies are yellow in color.

Answer 1

Halophilic means 'salt-loving' and describes organisms that thrive in high salt concentrations, such as the archaeon Halobacterium salinarum found in the Dead Sea. They are a type of extremophile that requires salty environments to grow.

Step-by-step explanation:

Definition of Halophilic

Halophilic is an adjective that describes organisms that require high salt concentrations to grow. These organisms are also known as halophiles, which literally translates to 'salt-loving'. Halophiles are a type of extremophile, organisms that thrive in conditions that are extreme for most life forms. An example of a halophile is Halobacterium salinarum, an archaeon that not only tolerates but also requires environments with high salt concentrations, such as those found in the Dead Sea.

Contrary to organisms that prefer acidic environments, known as acidophiles, or those that thrive at high temperatures, called thermophiles, halophiles are distinguished by their need for salty conditions. They have adapted to such environments and, as a result, face reduced competition for resources. The adaptation to high salt concentrations also means that halophiles like Halobacterium can live in saturated brine solutions and potentially remain viable for millennia in salt deposits.