Exam 19: Symbioses

Symbioses involve the process of co-evolution of at least two species. Which is a characteristic of co-evolution?

Your large intestine is home to millions of bacteria that are able to digest plant material that could otherwise not be digested. Both you and the bacteria benefit from having access to material that would otherwise be unavailable. What kind of symbiosis is this?

The domestic cow houses many billions of bacteria in its rumen (stomach). With this arrangement, the bacteria gain access to the ingested plant material, which they digest and utilize. However, a waste product of the bacterial digestion is volatile fatty acids, which the cow absorbs and uses to support its own energy requirements. What is this relationship between the bacteria and the cow an example of?

After reading the paragraph below, answer the question(s) that follow(s). Honeybee populations in North America have been in dramatic decline over the past decade or so. The exact cause(s) are not well understood, but pesticides and mites have both been blamed. There is an urgency to solve this problem though, since honeybees play such an important role in their ecosystems. In addition to beekeepers and honey producers, many farmers are also concerned about what is going on. -Why are bees of such importance to ecosystem health (choose the most complete answer)?

An aggressive mimic is one that

The Ash Borer (Podosesia syringae) resembles a common species of stinging wasp, though the Ash Borer itself is incapable of stinging. In this instance, what term do we use we use to refer to the Ash Borer?

A vampire bat can survive only a few days without a blood meal. They help each other by sharing blood, which appears to be an example of what type of behaviour?

After reading the paragraph below, answer the question(s) that follow(s). Honeybee populations in North America have been in dramatic decline over the past decade or so. The exact cause(s) are not well understood, but pesticides and mites have both been blamed. There is an urgency to solve this problem though, since honeybees play such an important role in their ecosystems. In addition to beekeepers and honey producers, many farmers are also concerned about what is going on. -Which of the following represents a likely short-term outcome of the decline in honeybee populations?

If a parasite infects its host under its own power, what term is given to this type of transmission?

Liver flukes of the family Schistosomatidae will sometimes infect a human host (rather than waterfowl) where they will cause itching and discomfort, but fail to complete their life cycle. What would the host be called in this instance?

What is a cysticercoid?

'Beaver fever' is caused by the Giardia duodenalis parasite that can be present in lake water. The best way to avoid beaver fever is to

Which of the following applies to determining that a symbiotic relationship is mutualistic?

If a parasite requires two different species to complete its life cycle, what is the term used to describe its life cycle?

Which of the following examples could be considered an example of mutualism?

It can be very difficult to prove the existence of altruism in a relationship between individuals. In many cases, the altruistic relationship is specific to closely related individuals. What is the term given to the relationship in this instance?

Which of the following definitions of mimicry is correct?

The cuckoo bird will lay its eggs in the nest of another species of bird. Upon hatching, the young cuckoo will be raised by its adoptive parents, at a cost to adoptive siblings. What type of relationship is this?