Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Mutualism is an interaction that benefits both species involved. One example of mutualism is the symbiotic relationship between lichens and fungi. Lichens consist of a fungus and photosynthetic algae or cyanobacteria, and they rely on each other for survival. The fungus provides a protected environment and absorbs water and nutrients, while the photosynthetic partner conducts photosynthesis and produces energy-rich carbohydrates that benefit both organisms.Another example is mycorrhizae, where fungi form associations with the roots of higher plants. The fungi assist the plants in absorbing essential nutrients from the soil, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, in exchange for receiving energy-yielding carbohydrates produced by the plants through photosynthesis.In plant-animal relationships, mutualism is evident in the process of pollination and seed dispersal. Plants rely on animals, such as bees, butterflies, and birds, to transfer pollen between flowers, facilitating reproduction. In return, plants offer rewards to the pollinators, such as pollen and nectar, which serve as a source of food for the animals. Similarly, when animals consume fruits and disperse seeds through their excretion or by carrying them to new locations, they benefit from the nutritional value of the fruits, while the plants benefit from the dispersal of their seeds.Not all mutualistic interactions involve direct rewards. Some orchids, like the Mediterranean orchid Ophrys, employ "sexual deceit" to achieve pollination. The flower mimics the appearance and scent of a female bee, attracting male bees that attempt to mate with the flower. During this process, the bee gets covered in pollen, and when it visits another flower, it transfers the pollen, facilitating pollination.

What is co-evolution?

The evolution of two species in response to each other

The correct answer is Option (1) - The evolution of two species in response to each other

The most spectacular and evolutionarily fascinating examples of mutualism are found in plant-animal relationships. Plants need the help of animals for pollinating their flowers and dispersing their seeds. Animals obviously have to be paid ‘fees’ for the services that plants expect from them. Plants offer rewards or fees in the form of pollen and nectar for pollinators and juicy and nutritious fruits for seed dispersers.

Plant-animal interactions often involve co-evolution of the mutualists, that is, the evolutions of the flower and its pollinator species are tightly linked with one another. In many species of fig trees, there is a tight one-to-one relationship with the pollinator species of wasp. It means that a given fig species can be pollinated only by its ‘partner’ wasp species and no other species. The female wasp uses the fruit not only as an oviposition (egg-laying) site but uses the developing seeds within the fruit for nourishing its larvae. The wasp pollinates the fig inflorescence while searching for suitable egg-laying sites. In return for the favour of pollination the fig offers the wasp some of its developing seeds, as food for the developing wasp larvae.