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.
Charles Darwin was B. A Naturalist on the Beagle voyage to South America. A naturalist observes and collects plant, animal, rock, and fossil specimens.
