Question

Benign microbiota species make their home on human body surfaces and prevent the colonization of harmful microbiota species onto humans. This interaction is best considered:

A) A mutualism between humans and their benign microbiota

B) A commensalism between humans and their benign microbiota

C) Intraspecific competition between the benign and harmful microbiota

D) Interspecific competition between the benign and harmful microbiota

E) Both A & D

Answer 1

Answer: E) Both A & D.

Explanation: Benign microbiotas are the ones which have a mutualistic relationship with human body surface and do not harm the host (humans) under normal circumstances. They help protect the humans from various diseases, harmful microorganisms, regulate pH, temperature and also protect from infection. In return humans provide shelter to these microorganisms.

- Harmful microbiota are the ones which can attack humans whenever they immunity response gets suppressed. Benign microbiota shows interspecific competition to these harmful microorganisms which means they fight between species. This can be in order to reside on the host (humans). This competition can also be for common resource or disrupting activities of the harmful microbiota.

Incorrect answers:

Option B: Commensalism is in which one is benefitted and the other is unaffected. No such scenario is discussed in the above question.

Option C: This type of competition is within species. This is also type of competition exclusion. But the above question does not mention anything specific about particular species. So this is knocked out.