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Interlude A
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Interlude B
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Interlude C
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Interlude E

"Aging Gene" Could Be Passed on via X Chromosome

J. of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 2001

Scientists are finding life in a place few expected to find it: the blood-red, highly acidic, toxic waters of the Rio Tinto in southwest Spain. Many assumed the river was dead. Instead, it's an ecosystem where organisms endure despite extreme, usually deadly conditions.

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Active Reading Questions

  1. Which of the following is the best definition of a community of organisms?
    a) all of the species living together in the same geographic location, under similar conditions, at the same time
    b) a group of similar organisms living together, under similar conditions, at the same time
    c) a static (unchanging) habitat for organisms
    d) an ecosystem
  2. Rio Tinto was once thought to be uninhabited; however, scientists have found a thriving community in this harsh environment. Which of the following are represented in the Rio Tinto community?
    a) producers such as photosynthetic algae
    b) secondary consumers such as Euglena
    c) primary consumers such as bacteria
    d) all of the above
  3. The article discusses one form of extreme environment in which communities of organisms may live. Using your book and the Internet, research another extreme environment where scientists are finding new life forms.
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