Final answer:
The classification for bacteria that can survive with or without oxygen is c) Facultative anaerobic bacteria. These organisms can use both aerobic respiration and anaerobic methods, such as fermentation, to produce ATP, making them highly adaptable to changing environmental oxygen conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The classification given to bacteria that can survive in an environment with or without oxygen is c) Facultative anaerobic bacteria. These bacteria are characterised by their ability to make ATP through aerobic respiration when oxygen is available but can also switch to fermentation or anaerobic respiration in the absence of oxygen.
This versatility allows facultative anaerobes to thrive in varied environmental conditions. Facultative anaerobic organisms, such as Staphylococci, Escherichia coli, Corynebacterium, and Listeria species, are able to adapt their metabolic processes based on the presence of oxygen.
In contrast, obligate anaerobes are killed by exposure to oxygen, and strict aerobes require oxygen for their survival. Microaerophiles need a specific low level of oxygen, while aerotolerant anaerobes do not use oxygen but are not harmed by its presence.