Question

Which one is the correct interaction sign for Amensalism?

(a) +/+

(b) 0/0

(c) 0/+

(d) 0/-

The question was posed to me during an online interview.

My question is based upon Major Classes of Interactions in Mixed Cultures topic in section Mixed Cultures & Traditional Industrial Bioprocesses of Bioprocess Engineering

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

(d) 0/-

Explanation:

Amensalism is a type of biological interaction where one organism is harmed, while the other organism is unaffected. In the context of the interaction sign:

• The organism that is harmed experiences a negative effect (denoted by "-").
• The organism that remains unaffected is denoted by "0", meaning no positive or negative impact on it.

Therefore, the correct interaction sign for Amensalism is 0/-, indicating that one organism is harmed (negative) and the other is unaffected (zero effect).