Question

Explain the following with the help of an example for each:

(a) parasitic nutrition
(b) symbiosis
(c) saprotrophic nutrition

Answer 1

(a) Parasitic nutrition: Parasites feed on other living organisms to obtain nutrition. This mode of nutrition is referred to as parasitic nutrition. For example, non green plants like dodder which can not synthesise their own food, grows over other plants and sucks nutrition from them using their root like structure.

(b) Symbiosis: The mutually beneficial relationship between two organisms is termed as symbiosis. For example, lichens are association between alga and fungi. Alga supplies food to its fungal partner, while fungi provides shelter to its algal partner.

(c) Saprotrophic nutrition: Organisms which feed on dead and decaying matter are called saprotrophs, and this mode of obtaining nutrition is called saprotrophic nutrition. For example, mushrooms, fungi and bacteria