A colony of termites was exposed to an atmosphere of 100 percent oxygen for three days. the insects were not immediately harmed by the treatment, but the protozoa that lived in the termites' guts were eliminated. the treated termites continued to behave normally and to eat wood, but they began to starve after a short time. when the treated termites were instead fed wood contaminated with the feces of untreated termites, the treated termites regain the ability to digest wood and no longer starved. the best analysis of the results of the experiment is that

Question

Biology

Julissa Stuart

10 November, 21:02

A colony of termites was exposed to an atmosphere of 100 percent oxygen for three days. the insects were not immediately harmed by the treatment, but the protozoa that lived in the termites' guts were eliminated. the treated termites continued to behave normally and to eat wood, but they began to starve after a short time. when the treated termites were instead fed wood contaminated with the feces of untreated termites, the treated termites regain the ability to digest wood and no longer starved. the best analysis of the results of the experiment is that

+4

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Zoie Fox · Answer 1

The answer would be: cooperative interactions between the termites and the protozoa allow termites to extract energy from wood to survive

The experiment shows that the termites lost the ability to digest wood when the protozoa that live in their gut is eliminated. The ability to digest wood will be back after the termites eat feces that contaminated with the same protozoa.

This shows that the protozoa have a symbiosis with the termite that gives the ability to digest the wood.