Question : Lichen is usually cited as an example of ‘symbiosis' in plants where an algal and a fungal species live together for their mutual benefit. Which of the following will happen if algal and fungal partners are separated from each other? Based on your answer how do you justify this association as symbiosis ?

Question : Lichen is usually cited as an example of ‘symbiosis' in p

1.	Question : Lichen is usually cited as an example of ‘symbiosis' in plants where an algal and a fungal species live together for their mutual benefit. Which of the following will happen if algal and fungal partners are separated from each other? Based on your answer how do you justify this association as symbiosis ?
Answer» Both will survive and grow normally and independent from each other. Both will die Algal component will survive while the FUNGAL component will die. Fungal component will survive while algal partner will die. Solution :• Lichen is an example of symbiosis between algae and fungi. Both live TOGETHER for the benefit of each other. If both are separated then they die. • Fungi STORES water. It provides protection and ideal habitat to algae. In return algae provides carbohydrate rich food. If fungi is low in fixing NITROGEN then it provides nitrogen to fungi (nostoc) and this type of symbiosis dependent on each other help lichen to grow in dry and on open rocks. Where other plants can not survive. Moreover either algae or fungi alone can not grow there. • Thus both the components can not sustain WITHOUT each other.