Q.50 In an association of two animal species, one is a termite that feeds on wood and the other is a protozoan Trichonympha present in the gut of the termite. What type of association do they establish?
Class 12
Ans. The termite provides shelter and space for the protozoan Trichonympha to live. The Protozoa present in the gut digests the wood, which termite feeds upon. In the absence of Trichonympha, the termite is unable to digest wood and hence dies. Thus, the association of two given animal species represents mutualism.