Answer:
When bacteria absorb plasmids from their environment, they have become c) Recombinant.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bacteria become recombinant when they absorb plasmids from their environment. Plasmids are small, circular DNA molecules that can carry genes, and when bacteria take up these plasmids, they incorporate new genetic material into their own DNA through recombination.
This process results in the formation of recombinant bacteria, which now possess a combination of genetic material from both the absorbed plasmid and their own genome. This ability to transfer and incorporate genetic material enhances the genetic diversity of bacterial populations and can confer new traits, such as antibiotic resistance.
Option c is correct.