Final answer:
Metabolism is more inclusive than cellular respiration as it includes all chemical reactions in a cell. Cellular respiration is a specific metabolic process requiring oxygen to break down carbohydrates for energy. Metabolically versatile microbes resort to fermentation under anaerobic conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term metabolism is more inclusive than cellular respiration because metabolism encompasses all the chemical reactions that occur within a cell, including both anabolic and catabolic processes. Cellular respiration, on the other hand, is a specific metabolic pathway in which cells break down carbohydrates in the presence of oxygen to produce energy, carbon dioxide, and water. When a microbe is metabolically versatile, it will perform fermentation instead of cellular respiration when there is a lack of oxygen or when it cannot use oxygen for energy production, in a process known as anaerobic metabolism.
Reflecting on the interconnectedness of biological processes, both photosynthesis and cellular respiration contribute to a global cycle that sustains life by transferring and transforming energy. Photosynthesis captures light energy to build carbohydrates, whereas cellular respiration releases energy by metabolizing these carbohydrates, indicating the cyclical harmony between the two processes.