Interactions could be beneficial, detrimental or neutral (neither harm nor benefit) to one of the species or both. Assigning a ‘+’ sign for beneficial interaction, ‘-’ sign for detrimental and 0 for neutral interaction. Match the column I with column II:
| Column I (Name of interaction) | Column II (species A, Species B) |
| a) Amensalism | (i) - - |
| b) Mutualism | (ii) + 0 |
| c) Competition | (iii) + + |
| d) Commensalism | (iv) - 0 |
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) - a-iv, b-iii, c-i, d-ii.
| Column I (Name of interaction) | Column II (species A, Species B) |
| a) Amensalism | (iv) - 0 |
| b) Mutualism | (iii) + + |
| c) Competition | (i) - - |
| d) Commensalism | (ii) + 0 |
Interactions could be beneficial, detrimental or neutral (neither harm nor benefit) to one of the species or both. Assigning a ‘+’ sign for beneficial interaction, ‘-’ sign for detrimental and 0 for neutral interaction, let us look at all the possible outcomes of interspecific interactions.
Species A Species B Name of Interaction
+ + Mutualism
– – Competition
+ – Predation
+ – Parasitism
+ 0 Commensalism
– 0 Amensalism