The relationship between the termites and the microbes is a mutualism, because both species benefit from the relationship. The termites masticate the wood to mechanically break it down, and the microbes chemically digest the wood into smaller molecules that the termites are able to absorb and utilize.
Answer: Microbes in the hindgut of a termite break down cellulose into more easily digested sugars and short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids are taken into the cells of the termite and used as nourishment in the same way human cells take in nutrients processed by our digestive system.
