Herbivores interact exploitatively with the plants they consume; do they simultaneously participate in any other relationships within their communities?
A) Yes: an herbivore will have mutualistic relationships with intestinal bacteria and an exploitative relationship with its predators.
B) No: community relationships always have costs, so reducing them increases an organism's fitness.
C) No: only a single type of interaction can occur at a time, although herbivores can participate in several exploitative relationships at once.
D) Yes: each of the plant species eaten needs to be considered a separate interaction.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Herbivores can have mutualistic relationships with their intestinal bacteria, which help digest tough plant material. They also have exploitative relationships with their predators, who consume them. Therefore, option A is the correct answer. Option B is incorrect because reducing community relationships may not always increase an organism's fitness. Option C is incorrect because multiple interactions can occur at the same time. Option D is incorrect because each plant species eaten is not necessarily a separate interaction.

Herbivores Interact Exploitatively with the Plants They Consume; Do They