Question

graphing symbiosis
name:
the graph below shows the populations of two different organisms when they were living together and when they were living separately. compare the growth of the two species in the different conditions to determine what kind of symbiotic relationship is represented here.

1. what does the solid red line represent?

1. what does the solid blue line represent?

1. when living separately, were the populations of either of these species damaged?

1. what does the dotted red line represent?

1. what does the dotted blue line represent?

1. when living together, were the populations of either of these species damaged?

1. when living together, were either of these species helped?

1. which form of symbiosis is represented by the graph. defend your answer.

Explanation:

1. The legend clearly states that the solid red line represents "Organism 1 living separately".
2. The legend indicates that the solid blue line represents "Organism 2 living separately".
3. Looking at the solid red and blue lines (separate - living), both show a slow, steady increase in population over time. There is no decline or damage to the populations.
4. The legend shows that the dotted red line represents "Organism 1 living together".
5. The legend shows that the dotted blue line represents "Organism 2 living together".
6. When living together (dotted lines), both populations increase. There is no indication of damage (no decline in population).
7. When living together, Organism 1's population (dotted red) has a much steeper increase compared to when it was living separately (solid red). So, Organism 1 is helped.
8. Commensalism is a type of symbiosis where one organism benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed. Here, Organism 1 benefits (larger population increase when together) and Organism 2 is not harmed (its population when together is at least as good as when separate, and may have a small increase).

Answer:

1. Organism 1 living separately.
2. Organism 2 living separately.
3. No.
4. Organism 1 living together.
5. Organism 2 living together.
6. No.
7. Yes, Organism 1.
8. Commensalism. Because Organism 1 benefits (larger population growth when together) and Organism 2 is not harmed (population not decreased when together).