In an environment where antibiotics are present, which type of bacteria is more likely to survive and reproduce?

• A. Neither type can survive
• B. Both types are equally fit
• C. Antibiotic-sensitive bacteria
• D. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the selective pressure exerted by antibiotics in the environment, which inhibits or kills bacteria that are sensitive to the antibiotic.
2. Recognize that antibiotic-sensitive bacteria lack mechanisms to neutralize or evade the antibiotic's effects, making them less likely to survive in such an environment.
3. Identify that antibiotic-resistant bacteria possess genetic traits or adaptations (such as producing enzymes that degrade the antibiotic or altering target sites) that allow them to survive despite the presence of antibiotics.
4. Apply the concept of natural selection, where antibiotic-resistant bacteria have a survival advantage and are more likely to reproduce and pass on their resistant traits to offspring.
5. Conclude that in an environment with antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant bacteria are more likely to survive and reproduce compared to antibiotic-sensitive bacteria.