What is the primary reason that a hot spring will kill a fish placed in it but encourage the growth of certain bacteria?
◦ Bacterial growth at high temperatures is so rapid that it deoxygenates the water and kills the fish.
◦ The high temperatures destroy most of the fish's enzymes, but the specialized bacteria have enzymes adapted to these temperatures.
◦ Fish cannot feed directly on bacteria, but the bacteria can feed on dead fish.
◦ At hot spring temperatures, the metabolic activity of the fish's cells is so rapid that it runs out of food reserves and dies; the bacteria feed on the dead fish.