Question

A probable example of commensalism is
A) A mycorrhizal fungal roots on the roots of plants
B) Termites with protozoa in their digestive tracts
C) Flowering plants and their pollinators
D) Barnacles on whales

Answer 1

Symbiosis is the type of biological interaction of two living organisms, and this symbiosis is of different types, where the organisms are called symbionts and they are of different types, such as commensalism, mutualism, and parasitism, and this biological interaction can be seen in between the animals of different species also.

Complete answer:
So commensalism is one of the symbiotic relationships which can be seen between two different organisms, and in this type of association between two organisms, one is benefited and the other one is neither benefited nor get harmed.
A) In this option, they mentioned the relation between the Mycorrhiza fungi and roots of plants, and it is pure symbiosis because, in this interaction, Plants obtain some essential minerals like phosphorus and other minerals, and at the same time, fungi obtain sugars from the plants, so both are benefited with each other, so this is the wrong option.
B) The relation between the termite and protozoa is mutualism, where the termite eats wood as food, but if don’t have the enzyme to digest it where the protozoa in its gut provide the enzymes for digestion, and this protozoan all the nutrition from the termite, so it is the wrong option.
C) The relation between the flowers and pollinators is also a mutualism, where flowers have benefited by getting pollen, and pollinators such as insects get benefit by obtaining food such as nectar. So this is the wrong option.
D) Barnacles on whales are a type of commensalism, where barnacles obtain the energy by consuming the leftover food of the whales, and it won’t cause any benefit or harm to the whale, so it is the correct option.

So, the correct option is D.

Note: Commensalism is one type of symbiotic relationship, where one organism is benefited, and other one neither benefited nor get harm, and mutualism is one where both organisms get benefited and parasitism is one where one organism gets benefited and other get harmed.