Question

Mutualism and proto-cooperation are
a. Positive interaction
b. Negative interaction
c. Both A and B
d. None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Mutualism is a mutual relationship of the population also known as symbiosis whereas proto-cooperation is a type of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Complete answer:
> Option A is correct. Positive interactions are mutual species-to-species partnerships that result in increased growth, reproduction, and survival for both species involved in the interaction, without adversely impacting the other species. Lichens (a symbiotic alliance of algae and fungi) and hermit crab and sea anemone association are examples of mutualism and proto-cooperation, respectively.

> Option B is incorrect. Sometimes, at the cost of another organism or species, only one organism or species profits from an interaction This type of negative ecological interaction can occur in various ways, including predation or competition. The organisms that live off the host steal the nutrients of the host but not enough to consume it. Examples of negative interactions observed in nature include algal blooms and Cuscuta.

> Option C is incorrect. Both species are mutually beneficial in positive interactions, and in negative interactions either species is beneficial and other species experience losses in interacting with each other. Both of the above choices are thus not the correct answer.

> Option D is incorrect. Positive partnerships are a beneficial interaction in which two communicating partners contribute to one another to thrive with food, shelter, and safety.

So, the correct answer is Option A.

Additional information:
- An ecological community is described as a group of species living in the same place which are actually or potentially interacting. A population is linked together by the network of effects that species have on each other (i.e. interactions within the same species/intra-specific or between species/inter-specific). These inter- & intra-specific interactions are called biological interaction in an organism within an ecosystem group.
- The interaction can be classified into: positive and negative interactions depending on whether the interaction is beneficial for both or detrimental to either of the organisms in an interaction.
- Possible positive nature interactions include mutualism, commensalism, and proto-cooperation whereas the ecological environment has negative interactions such as ammensalism, parasitism, predation, and competition.

Note: Mutualism is obligatory and none of the interacting partners will survive individually while proto-cooperation is a non-obligatory and less extreme type and the relationship between the interacting partners is not important to the survival of either of the species.