An ant colony maintains and farms a species of fungus on which it feeds. The fungus, in turn, is parasitized by a bacterium. The ant/fungus interaction is _______ and the fungus/bacterium is _______.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ant/fungus interaction is mutualistic (+/+) because both benefit: ants get food, and the fungus gets a place to grow. The fungus/bacterium interaction is parasitic (+/-) because the bacterium benefits at the expense of the fungus.

An Ant Colony Maintains and Farms a Species of Fungus