NEET BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Leafcutter ants grow fungi on beds of leaves in their nests. The fungi get a protected place to live. The ants feed the fungi to their larvae. Ambrosia beetles bore holes in tree bark and “plant” fungal spores in the holes.

Detailed explanation-2: -Examples of obligate parasites are the downy mildews, the powdery mildews, and the rusts. Certain fungi form highly specialized parasitic relationships with insects. For example, the fungal genus Septobasidium is parasitic on scale insects (order Homoptera) that feed on trees.

Detailed explanation-3: -Lichens are symbioses involving fungi and unicellular algae The fungi obtain carbohydrates from the algae, which are photosynthetic and contribute the green color to the lichen thallus.

Detailed explanation-4: -Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship in which one species (the parasite) benefits while the other species (the host) is harmed. Many species of animals are parasites, at least during some stage of their life. Most species are also hosts to one or more parasites.