Question

Interactions: A. What are the differences and similarities between mutualism and synergism?

B. Compare and contrast the following two interactions

Interaction 1: Legumes and Rhizobia

Interaction 2: Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria

Tip: Important points to look at can be kind of interaction, interacting partners, energy sources for the interacting partners, who is providing what to the others and benefits of the interaction for each partner, interesting facts.

Answer 1

Differences between mutualism and synergism:

1) Microbial association is symbiotic in nature. 1) Microbial association is non symbiotic in nature

2) Both organism dependent on each other for survival. 2) Both organism independent on each other for survival.

3) Both have equal benifits, no sharing of nutrient . 3) Both cooperate each other and share the nutrient.

Similarities between mutualism and synergism:

1) mutualism and synergism is a ecological interaction between two or more species.

2) In both interaction both the interactive species benificial from each other.

3) During interaction no harm to each other.

Legume and Rhizobia

Important Point	Legume and Rhizobia	Ammonia oxidizing and nitrite oxidizing bacteria
Kind of Interaction	Mutualism(symbiotic)	Synergism (non symbiotic)
Interacting Partners	rhizobia is a soil bacteria interact with root of leguminous plant and form nodules	ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) present in soil and oxidised their substrate by enxyme complex present internal membrane of bacteria.
Energy sourse of interacting partners	rhizobia paly a important role in nitrogen fixattion and its required adequate energy (ATPs)which is generated by oxidation of organic compound.	these bacteria get energy by oxidation of inorganic nitrogen compound
who is provide what to the others	rhizobia provides Nitrogen to plant and nitrogen is used biochemically and forms organic compounds like amino acids,protein ,nucleotides and nucleic acid. plant supplies the energy for bacteria and bactoriods	ammonia monooxygenase oxidised ammonia into hydroxylamine and hydroxylamine oxidoreductase oxidised hydroxylamine toto nitric oxide .Nitric oxidoreductase osidised NItrite to nitrate.
Benefits of the interaction	Plant got the nitrogen compound to synthesise the protein and nucleic acid and bacteria got the energy for development	the oxidation of ammonium to nitrite by ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) called Nitrosomonas. The oxidation of nitrite (NO2−) to nitrate by nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB), called Nitrobacter.
Interesting facts	In this interaction both partners are dependently benificial for each other.	In this interaction both partners independently benificial for each other.