In microbiology, the term 'facultative' refers to organisms that:

• A. are unable to adapt to changes in their environment
• B. can survive in both the presence and absence of a specific environmental condition
• C. require a specific environmental condition to survive
• D. are always pathogenic to humans

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the term 'facultative' in microbiology, which describes an organism's ability to adapt to different environmental conditions.
2. Recognize that facultative organisms can survive and grow under more than one set of environmental conditions, such as with or without oxygen.
3. Compare facultative organisms to obligate organisms, which require specific conditions to survive (e.g., obligate aerobes need oxygen).
4. Eliminate options that describe organisms unable to adapt or those requiring specific conditions, as these do not fit the facultative definition.
5. Conclude that facultative organisms are those that can survive in both the presence and absence of a specific environmental condition.