Question Details

Mycorrhiza shows

Options

A

endemism

B

antagonism

C

symbiosis

D

parasitism

Correct Answer :

symbiosis

Solution :

The correct answer is symbiosis.

Let us break down the biological interaction represented by Mycorrhiza:

1. What is Mycorrhiza?
The term "mycorrhiza" is derived from the Greek words mykes (meaning fungus) and rhiza (meaning root). It refers to a mutualistic association between a fungus and the roots of a vascular host plant.

2. Understanding the Options:
- Endemism: This refers to an ecological state of a species being unique to a defined geographic location. It is not an interaction.
- Antagonism: This is an interaction where one organism benefits at the expense of another or where both species harm each other (e.g., competition or antibiosis).
- Parasitism: This is a one-sided relationship where one partner (the parasite) benefits by living on or in the host, causing harm to the host.
- Symbiosis (Mutualism): This is a close biological relationship where two different species live together. In a mutualistic symbiotic relationship, both organisms benefit.

3. How the Relationship Works in Mycorrhiza:
- The fungal partner absorbs essential nutrients (such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and other minerals) and water from the surrounding soil much more efficiently than the plant roots could on their own, transferring these resources to the plant.
- In return, the plant provides the fungus with organic carbon compounds (sugars) produced through photosynthesis.
Since both organisms benefit mutually from this close physical association, mycorrhiza is a classic and highly representative example of symbiosis.

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