2NGS_MEcology_Microbial Interaction

Microbes in the rumen transform plant fibers into various substances, excluding:

• Acetate

• CH4

• Butyrate

• CO2

• Formate

Answer explanation

Microbes ferment sugars to produce volatile fatty acids (VFAs) such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate, along with methane, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide. The VFAs are absorbed through the rumen wall and transported to the liver.

Reference:

McCauley, J. I., Labeeuw, L., Jaramillo-Madrid, A. C., Nguyen, L. N., Nghiem, L. D., Chaves, A. V., & Ralph, P. J. (2020). Management of enteric methanogenesis in ruminants by Algal-Derived feed additives. Current Pollution Reports, 6(3), 188–205. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40726-020-00151-7

https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/understanding-the-ruminant-animal-digestive-system

Which of the following is/are example(s) of symbiosis?

• Luminescent bacteria providing light to flashlight fish

• Bdellovibrio feeding on Pseudomonas

• Bradyrhizobium forming nodules in soybean

• Staphylococcus aureus causing food poisoning in humans

• All of the above

The following are the primary benefits of mycorrhizal associations for plants except for:

• Increased water uptake

• Enhanced nutrient absorption

• Protection against pathogens

• Improved photosynthesis

• None of the above

Which microbial interaction is essential for nitrogen cycling in soil ecosystems?

• Antibiosis

• Competition

• Mutualism

• Commensalism

• None of the choices

Which among the following pairs serve to function as a means of population control that dampens population explosion within microbial communities?

• parasitism – predation

• amensalism – predation

• commensalism – predation

• predation – mutualism

• None of the choices