Relationship where one organism benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed
Mutualism
Relationship where one organism harms another
Remora fish can attach themselves to larger aquatic animals, such as whales. When the whales eat, the fish detach themselves and eat leftover scraps of food. These fish do not harm or help the whales.
What is the ecological relationship between the remora fish and the whales?
competition
commensalism
parasitism
predation
Birds follow cattle and eat the bugs that cattle dig up. The cattle are not helped or harmed but the birds get a free meal. What type of relationship is this?
competition
commensalism
parasitism
mutualism
Birds clean the teeth of alligators. Both organisms benefit because the alligators get clean teeth and the birds get a meal.
competition
commensalism
parasitism
mutualism
A tick drinks the blood of a deer. The deer is harmed.
competition
commensalism
parasitism
mutualism
Small fish eat the dead skin and parasites off of large sting rays. Both animals benefit from this relationship.
competition
commensalism
parasitism
mutualism
A frog uses a leaf for shelter from the rain. The leaf is not helped or harmed.
competition
commensalism
parasitism
mutualism
Bees are attracted to flowers. Bees get food and flowers are pollinated (both benefit)
competition
commensalism
parasitism
mutualism
Cuckoo bird lays it egg in a host nest. The Cuckoo baby hatches first and kills the host eggs.
The cuckoo harms the host eggs.
competition
commensalism
parasitism
mutualism
Algae lives on the spider crab. The algae gets a place to live and food. The spider crab is able to blend in with the surrounding. Both benefit from this relationship.
competition
commensalism
parasitism
mutualism
Which of the following statements best explains why introduced species often threaten native species in an ecosystem?
Introduced species often have less genetic diversity than native species.
Introduced species often lack natural predators in their new environment.
Introduced species often form mutualistic relationships with native species.
Introduced species often cause short-term droughts in their new environment.
Red lionfish have been introduced into the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The red lionfish are predators that compete with native fish for space and food, causing coral reef fish population sizes to decrease. Government and environmental groups are encouraging coastal communities to catch red lionfish and serve them at restaurants.
Which of the following best explains how catching and eating red lionfish could help preserve coral reefs?
Reef fish will learn that red lionfish are no longer dangerous.
Red lionfish will return to their native habitats to avoid being caught.
Humans will fill the role of predator and control the red lionfish population.
Restaurants that serve red lionfish will attract more tourists to visit coral reefs.
The zebra mussel is a highly invasive species that was accidentally introduced to the Great Lakes region of the United States in the 1980s. What is the primary reason the large-scale spread of zebra mussels concerns scientists?
Zebra mussels are a freshwater species.
Zebra mussels are a desired food for humans.
Zebra mussels are eaten by some fish and birds.
Zebra mussels outcompete native mussel species.
Because of sport hunting and the draining of marshlands, the size of the whooping crane population reached a low of 16 individuals in 1940. Since then, conservation efforts have been put in place to increase the whooping crane population size.Which of the following actions would most likely increase the size of the whooping crane population with the least impact on the ecosystem?
introducing new insect species for whooping cranes to eat
eliminating all wild predators in the whooping crane’s habitat
counting whooping crane populations by tagging and releasing individual birds
establishing protected areas for whooping crane breeding and migration
There are many fungus species that live inside plant tissues. What determines whether the relationship between a fungus and a plant is commensalism, mutualism, or parasitism?
where the fungus is located in the plant
whether the effect of the fungus on the plant is neutral, positive, or negative
whether the fungus reproduces in the plant with spores, seeds, or runners