Question

Select the statement which explains the commensalism best.

• A. One species is benefited, other is harmed.
• B. Both species are benefited.
• C. One species is benefited, other is neither harmed nor benefited.
• D. Both species harm each other.

Hint:

Commensalism is a (+, 0) interaction: one gains, the other is unaffected.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept
Commensalism is an interaction in which one partner benefits while the other is neither harmed nor helped. Examples are an orchid on a mango branch and barnacles on a whale.

Step 2: Compare with others
One benefited and the other harmed is parasitism or predation. Both benefited is mutualism. Both harming each other is competition.

Step 3: Conclusion
So commensalism is best described as one species benefited and the other neither harmed nor benefited.

Final Answer:
In commensalism one species benefits and the other is unaffected. \[ \boxed{\text{(C) }\text{One species is benefited, other is neither harmed nor benefited.}} \]