A

Which of these best demonstrates mutualism between certain types of bacteria and humans?

• Intestinal bacteria obtain nutrients from the gut and produce vitamin K used by humans.

• Bacteria become resistant to antibacterial medication that humans use for treatment.

• Invasive bacteria at an area of injury produce toxins that damage healthy tissues of the human body.

• Bacteria in improperly prepared food is consumed by humans, causing food poisoning

In North American forests, two species of birds, nuthatches and brown creepers, forage on the same trees for insects. Brown creepers feed on insects found near the bottom of the tree trunk, while nuthatches feed on insects in the top part of the tree. The difference in foraging behavior most likely affects the nuthatches and brown creepers by —

• allowing the birds to avoid many types of predators

• reducing competition between the birds for resources

• preventing the birds from interbreeding with each other

• establishing dominance between the birds for nesting sites

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

A remora is a fish that has an adhesive disk on the back of its head that it uses to attach itself to a large shark. When food floats away from the shark’s mouth as it feeds, the remora

collects the scraps. Drawings of a shark with a remora attached and a remora’s adhesive disk are shown

The relationship between the remora and the shark is an example of —

• predation

• parasitism

• commensalism

• competition

Four common relationships between organisms are listed in the box.

Which statements best describe these relationships?

• Relationships 1 and 4 are examples of mutualism.

  Relationship 2 is an example of commensalism. Relationship 3 is an example of parasitism.

• Relationships 1 and 2 are examples of commensalism.

  Relationships 3 and 4 are examples of mutualism.

• Relationship 1 is an example of commensalism.

  Relationships 2 and 4 are examples of mutualism. Relationship 3 is an example of predation.

• Relationships 1, 2, and 4 are examples of mutualism.

  Relationship 3 is an example of parasitism.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Some relationships between different organisms are shown in the table. Which table correctly identifies each type of interaction described?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

A student performed an investigation in which two ivy plants were planted in two separate containers. One of the containers had earthworms mixed in with the soil, and the other container had soil and no earthworms. The plants were given the same amount of water and exposed to the same amount of sunlight. The student observed that after several weeks of growth, the plant exposed to earthworms appeared to be healthier and exhibited more growth. To conclude that the relationship between the plant and the earthworm is an example of mutualism, the student must perform follow-up investigations that do which of the following?

• Determine whether the earthworms damage the soil in any way

• Determine whether the earthworms benefit from being with the plant

• Determine whether the water given to the plant is unpolluted

• Determine whether the other plant in the investigation suffers as a result of not being exposed to earthworms

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Parrotfish are herbivores that are found in coral reefs. To escape predation, a parrotfish will graze with a rabbitfish, which has venomous spines at the end of its pelvic fins. The rabbitfish does not benefit from this relationship. Which type of relationship do the parrotfish and the rabbitfish have in the coral-reef environment?

• commensal

• mutualistic

• predator-prey

• parasitic

In any environment or ecosystem, organisms can have several different types of relationships.Three types of relationships are described below. Which of these correctly describes the relationships between the organisms?

• X: mutualism Y: parasitism Z: commensalism

• X: commensalism Y: mutualism Z: parasitism

• X: parasitism Y: commensalism Z: mutualism

• X: commensalism Y: parasitism Z: mutualism

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Cattle egrets forage (feed) in fields among cattle. The egret gets easy access to flying insects stirred up by the cattle, and the cattle don't care if they are there or not.

• mutualism
• commensalism
• competition
• parasitism

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

A tapeworm and a cat have this type of relationship.

• mutualism
• parasitism
• commensalism
• competition