Question

Determine the type of interspecific interactions depicted by the examples below.

Mutualism, Competition or Exploitation.

Each each of the given interactions, indicate which organism benefits (+) and which is harmed (-)?

A) Plant roots and fungus living symbiotically: _________________________________

B) Lice in a child’s hair: ______________________________________________

C) Vultures and hyenas in a savanna ___________________________________

D) Microbiota living in a human gut: ____________________________________

E) A caterpillar and a tree: _______________________________________________

Answer 1

A. Mutualism : +ve interaction on both the species.

Plant root gives shelter to the fungi and the uses the nutritional content, whereas the phosphorus-acquiring arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi which can easily and efficiently absorb phosphate from the soil and provide it to the roots.

B. Exploitation :  Host will face -ve effect and lice +ve.

Lice feed on the scalp and get shelter whereas children will suffer from the hair loss or bad scalp or maybe disease.

C. Mutualism : both having +ve effect

As hyenas need vulture to know the presence of carcass in the in the forest. And vulture will get food when hyenas will prey on other animals.Hyenas do not harm vulture.

D. Mutualism : both having +ve effect

As some microbiota benefit the host by fermenting dietary fibers into short chain fatty acid, that is absorbed by the host.

E. Exploitation : Caterpillar +ve effect and plant will have -ve effect

As caterpillars eat plant and destroy the plant leaves which will make the plant weak.