In the oceans, prokaryotes are greatly outnumbered by
A) zooplankton.
B) diatoms.
C) viruses.
D) phytoplankton.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that viruses are the most abundant biological entity in the oceans, outnumbering prokaryotes by about 10 to 1. Zooplankton and diatoms are also abundant, but not as much as viruses. Phytoplankton, on the other hand, are a type of prokaryotes (specifically, they are photosynthetic bacteria), so they cannot outnumber themselves.

In the Oceans, Prokaryotes Are Greatly Outnumbered by