An industrial wastewater pipe contaminating an area of the ocean causes a rise in temperature and lowers the salinity of the water. What do you expect to find in your survey of the microbial population, and what might you find in a survey years from now?

a) Many species will have decreased or disappeared from this site, but later some species may increase in population if they acquire adaptive mutations. Also, you may see some new species expand into the site.
b) Most species will be wiped out this year, and it will take millions of years for new species to evolve -- until then, the site will be devoid of life.
c) The individuals will turn on genes to adapt to these changes, and the populations will end up largely the same this year and following years.
d) Most species will be wiped out this year, and in subsequent years, even fewer will remain.