You are trying to develop a new anti-termite chemical that will not harm environmentally beneficial insects. Because termites are adapted to eat only wood, they will starve if they cannot digest this food source. Termites have two symbiotic partners: the protozoan Trichonympha collaris and the bacteria it harbors that actually produce the enzyme that digests the wood. Knowing this, how might you prevent termite infestations without targeting the termites directly?
Added by Juan Manuel N.
Step 1
Termites rely on their symbiotic partners, Trichonympha collaris and the bacteria within them, to digest wood. Show more…
Show all steps
Your feedback will help us improve your experience
Sri K and 77 other Biology educators are ready to help you.
Ask a new question
Labs
Want to see this concept in action?
Explore this concept interactively to see how it behaves as you change inputs.
Key Concepts
Recommended Videos
A colony of termites was exposed to an atmosphere of 100 percent oxygen for three days. The insects were not immediately harmed by the treatment, but the protozoa that lived in the termites' guts were eliminated. The treated termites continued to behave normally and to eat wood, but they began to starve after a short time. When the treated termites were instead fed wood contaminated with the feces of untreated termites, the treated termites regained the ability to digest wood and no longer starved. The best analysis of the results of the experiment is that A infection with protozoa causes the termites to switch to fermentation B cooperative interactions between the termites and the protozoa allow termites to extract energy from wood to survive C the termite immune system eliminates protozoa from the gut D termites digest protozoa as their main source of energy
Sri K.
We think of termites as insects that eat wood. However, termites cannot digest the wood and rely on a variety of eukaryotic and prokaryotic gut microbes to digest cellulose. Without the microbes, the termites will still ingest wood but will starve. This, then, is an example of a(n); obligate antagonism. facultative antagonism. None of the answer options is correct. obligate mutualism. facultative mutualism.
Rupsa S.
1. a. How do young termites acquire gut symbionts? b. why did scientists have to revise the definition of a lichen in 2016? How many organisms might be involved in lichen symbiosis? c. What physiological functions do the gut symbionts allow the termites to perform that would otherwise be impossible?
Maitreya E.
Recommended Textbooks
Biology for AP Courses
Objective Biology for NEET
Introduction to General, Organic and Biochemistry
Transcript
Watch the video solution with this free unlock.
EMAIL
PASSWORD