Answers

Organisms and Populations

Define the following terms and give one example for each:
(a) Commensalism
(b) Parasitism
(c) Camouflage
(d) Mutualism
(e) Interspecific competition

08/11/2024

Biology

12th (Science)

Answers

(a) Commensalism
Definition: A type of interaction where one species benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.
Example: Barnacles attaching to a whale. The barnacles gain mobility and access to plankton, while the whale is unaffected.

(b) Parasitism
Definition: A relationship where one organism (the parasite) benefits at the expense of the other (the host), which is harmed.
Example: A tapeworm living in the intestines of a human and absorbing nutrients.

(c) Camouflage
Definition: An adaptation that allows organisms to blend into their surroundings to avoid detection by predators or prey.
Example: A chameleon changing its color to match the environment.

(d) Mutualism
Definition: A symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit from the interaction.
Example: Bees and flowering plants — bees get nectar, and plants get pollinated.

(e) Interspecific competition
Definition: A form of competition between individuals of different species for the same limited resource.
Example: Lions and hyenas competing for the same prey in the savanna. \