Question

A fungus that climbs up a tree reaching higher elevation to release its spores in the wind and does not receive any nutrients from the tree or contribute to the tree’s welfare is described as a ________.

a) Parasitic fungus
b) Mutualistic fungus
c) Saprophytic fungus
d) Epiphytic fungus

Answer 1

An epiphytic fungus lives on trees purely for support without harming or benefiting the host, making d) Epiphytic fungus the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is d) Epiphytic fungus. An epiphytic fungus is a type of fungus that grows on other plants, in this case, a tree, but does not receive nutrients from the tree or contribute to its welfare. Instead, epiphytic fungi rely on the wind to disperse their spores to new locations. They obtain their nutrients from the environment, such as organic matter that accumulates in the crevices of trees

The correct answer to the student's question is d) Epiphytic fungus. An epiphytic fungus lives on other plants or trees but does not harm the host plant or provide any benefit to it. It uses the tree merely for physical support to reach a higher elevation, making it easier to release spores into the wind for reproduction. This relationship is different from parasitic fungi, which harm their hosts, or mutualistic fungi, which provide a benefit. Instead, epiphytic fungi are comparable to epiphytic plants that grow on other plants but are not dependent upon their hosts for nutrients.