Describe briefly how you would detect the presence of a non-culturable prokaryote in an environmental sample.

Using microscopy methods such as fluorescence microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Explanation:

A bacterium that is viable but non-culturable refers to those bacteria that are in a very low metabolic state (dormant state) that don’t grow but is alive. Methods based on culture will not be able to detect a viable but non-culturable bacteria, because these bacteria will not grow and in few cases if the bacterium could be cultured, it only grows in very specific conditions. The most common methods used to check for the presence of bacteria that are viable but non-culturable is the fluorescence microscopy. The disadvantage of this technology is that don’t discriminate between live and dead cells, it only detects its presence. Another common technology is a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), that detects DNA, but this technique also doesn’t discriminate between living or dead cells. But usually is combined with stains to detect a damaged of the membrane, this damage refers to nonviable bacteria.

c. earths continental crust is thicker than its lithosphere.

because, the lithosphere is the outermost layer of the earth/ 100 km thick and is defined by its machanical properties.the lithosphere contains oceanic and continental crust that varies in age and thickness across locations and geologic time. the lithosphere is the coolest layer of the earth in terms of temperature. the term lithosphere should not be confused with the use of "geosphere" which is used to indicate all of earth systems, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere   and biosphere. the surface of the earth can be divided into the continental crust and the oceanic crust.   the continental crust is made mostly of granite while the oceanic crust is made of basalt. the average thickness of the continental crust is 25 miles and the average thickness of the oceanic crust is 5 miles.   three types of rock, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic, make up the surface of the earth. that's why 3 option is preferable.

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