Question

In a hypothetical situation, a bacterium lives on the surface of a leaf, where it obtains nutrition from the leaf's nonliving, waxy covering while inhibiting the growth of other microbes that are plant pathogens. If this bacterium gains access to the inside of a leaf, however, it causes a fatal disease in the plant. Once the plant dies, the bacterium and its offspring decompose the plant. What is the correct sequence of ecological roles played by the bacterium in the situation described here? Use only those that apply.

Answer 1

Answer:

The correct ecological sequence regarding this case, to answer your question: What is the correct sequence of ecological roles played by the bacterium in the situation decribed here, would be: 1. mutualism, 2. Parasitism and finally 3. Nutrient recycler.

Explanation:

Ecological balance comes when species interact, and help each other out, by carrying out tasks that the other species cannot perform. When this happens, both species benefit from the presence of the other, and thus are kept in balance. However, conditions may change that will affect this balance.

In this case, we have a bacteria and a plant that are ecologically balanced with each other: the plant provides nutrients to the bacteria, and the bacteria helps the plant by maintaining other microorganisms away. However, when the conditions of the plant change, giving the bacteria access to its insides, which are more nutrient-rich, than the outside, these bacteria do not waste time and infect the plant, until it kills, and then decomposes, the plant. Given the sequence, the first part is known as mutualism: to species sharing benefits. Parsitism, because the bacteria infected the plant and lived now off it, destroying it. And finally, nutrient recycler because the bacteria breaks down the plant, decomposes it, returning to the ecosystem nutrients that were inside the plant.

Answer 2

Answer:

Mutualism .Pathogenic and Nutrient recylcler

Explanation:

Mutualism is an association between two organisms in which both organisms   benefited from the co-existence. Since both the leaf and bacterium derived benefits from the coexistence -this is mutualism.

The destruction of the leaf by bacteria when it gained entry  makes the bacterial to cause infection or caused   leaf weakness. Therefore the leaf is no longer benefiting from the association, but suffer looses. The bacterial is now a parasite. And it is said to be pathogenic to the leaf  because it  causing fatal diseases that  lead to death.

The decomposition of the leaf to maintain nutrients cycle is needed in ecosystem. This follows the principle of conservation of energy explained by the   first law of thermodynamics, that energy from nutrients  can not be created or destroyed  but can only be transformed from one form to another. The energy conversion form the dead leaves by the bacteria  is  inform of inorganic ions,(nutrients)  and this is available to  the leaf( the producers) when it regrows for the bacterial to associate  again, for the recycle  of energy flow(nutrients) to continue  in the ecosystem therefore the bacterial is now longer a parasite in the ecosystem, but a Nutrient Recycler.