Lichens are among the slowest-growing organisms, but their tolerance of environmental extremes enables them to colonize habitats where few other macroscopic organisms can grow. They grow where neither the fungal partner (mycobiont) or the photosynthetic partner (photobiont) could survive alone, because they benefit from their unique symbiotic association. What mutualistic behaviors aid in the survival of both organisms?
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
Lichens are symbiotic organisms that have a mutual relationship between fungus as well as algae. The body of a lichen appears to have fungal filaments and these filaments surround the cells of algae.
The fungal filaments that are on the lichen are the fungal partner which is known as mycobiont and the algae cells that are surrounded is the photosynthetic partner that is photobiont.
These lichens grow where the mycobiont and photobiont could not survive alone due to the environmental conditions. With the help of lichens, photobionts are able to survive in the extreme conditions of the environment and with the help of fungi, they are able to efficiently consume mineral nutrients which are required.
In return, with the help of photosynthetic partner i.e. algae, fungi also consume sugar and organic nitrogen from them when those are not available in particular environmental conditions.
In this way, the mutualistic behaviors aid in the survival of both organisms.
Answer:
Explanation:
Symbiotic organisms are one which have mutual relation between both algae and fungus. Lichens are one of them, they display same characteristics as symbiotic organisms.
The body of lichen is designed such that it have fungal filaments that surrounds the algae cells. These filaments ,which are found on lichen body, are the fungal partner known as mycobiont and the algae cells that surround them are photosynthetic known as photobiont.
As the lichens have both the characters , they grow in environmental conditions where mycobiont and photobiont alone cannot survive. Because of the lichens , photobionts are able to survive in such the extreme conditions and fungi help them to consume minerals and nutrients they require to grow.
With the presence of these partners lichens are able to consume sugar and organic nitrogen from them when they are not present in some of the environmental conditions.
Hence, this interdependence on one another is the reason for survival of both the organisms.