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Question 1:

What is commensalism in ecology?

A) The interaction where two organisms mutually benefit from each other
B) The consumption of plant material by animals
C) The interaction where one organism benefits at the expense of another organism
D) The interaction where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected

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Explanation: The correct answer is D) The interaction where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected. Commensalism in ecology refers to a relationship where one organism benefits from the association while the other organism is neither harmed nor benefited. The organism benefiting is called the commensal, and the organism unaffected is referred to as the host.

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Question 2:

Which of the following is an example of commensalism?

A) A bee pollinating a flower
B) A lion hunting and killing a zebra
C) A remora fish attaching to a shark for transportation
D) A clownfish living among the tentacles of a sea anemone

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Explanation: The correct answer is C) A remora fish attaching to a shark for transportation. This is an example of commensalism, where the remora fish benefits from the association by hitching a ride on the shark, while the shark is unaffected by the presence of the fish.

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Question 3:

What is amensalism in ecology?

A) The interaction where two organisms mutually benefit from each other
B) The consumption of plant material by animals
C) The interaction where one organism benefits at the expense of another organism
D) The interaction where one organism is harmed and the other is unaffected

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Explanation: The correct answer is D) The interaction where one organism is harmed and the other is unaffected. Amensalism in ecology refers to a relationship where one organism is negatively affected (harmed) by the association, while the other organism is unaffected. It is a type of interaction where one organism inhibits the growth or survival of another organism through chemical or physical means.

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Question 4:

Which of the following is an example of amensalism?

A) A bee pollinating a flower
B) A lion hunting and killing a zebra
C) A tree casting shade on grass, inhibiting its growth
D) A clownfish living among the tentacles of a sea anemone

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Explanation: The correct answer is C) A tree casting shade on grass, inhibiting its growth. This is an example of amensalism, where the tree (by casting shade) negatively affects the grass by inhibiting its access to sunlight and reducing its growth, while the tree is unaffected by the presence of the grass.

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Question 5:

What is the main difference between commensalism and amensalism?

A) In commensalism, both organisms benefit, while in amensalism, one organism is harmed
B) In commensalism, one organism benefits and the other is unaffected, while in amensalism, one organism is harmed and the other is unaffected
C) Commensalism and amensalism are synonyms and have the same meaning
D) In commensalism, one organism benefits at the expense of the other organism, while in amensalism, both organisms are unaffected

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Explanation: The correct answer is B) In commensalism, one organism benefits and the other is unaffected, while in amensalism, one organism is harmed and the other is unaffected. Commensalism and amensalism are different types of ecological interactions. In commensalism, one organism benefits from the association without causing any harm or benefit to the other organism. In amensalism, one organism is negatively affected by the association, while the other organism is unaffected.