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To which condition do all species living in the deep ocean near hydrothermal vents have to adapt?

a. Extreme pressure
b. Extreme cold
c. High salinity
d. Extreme heat

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Species living near deep-sea hydrothermal vents must adapt to extreme pressure and heat, with a variety of extremophiles thriving in these harsh conditions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The conditions to which all species living in the deep ocean near hydrothermal vents must adapt are characterized by extreme pressure and extreme heat. These environments are also marked by complete darkness and are home to a diversity of extremophiles, which are organisms that thrive under extreme conditions. Despite high pressures that can affect biomolecular structures and thereby challenge life processes, a variety of life forms, including microbes and animal life, persist at the bottom of the ocean trenches. These organisms have evolved various adaptations to survive in conditions where pressures can exceed 1000 times atmospheric levels and temperatures can be significantly higher than the average at the sea level due to the proximity to the vents' hot water emissions.

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