Hummingbirds use their long beaks to drink nectar from flowers. In turn, they carry the pollen from flower to flower, assisting with the reproduction of the flowers. What relationship does this describe?

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Consider the ecological interaction described: a hummingbird drinks nectar and, in the process, moves pollen between flowers, aiding plant reproduction. This is a classic example of a cooperative interaction where both species benefit.
Option 1: parasitism. In parasitism, one organism benefits at the expense of the other. Here, the plant is not harmed—the interaction actually benefits both parties, so parasitism does not fit.
Option 2: mutualism. This matches the scenario: the hummingbird gains food (nectar), and the flowers gain assistance with pollination, which helps them reproduce. Both partners benefit, which is the hallmark of mutualism.
Option 3: competitive exclusion. This concept describes two species competing for the same resources to such an extent that they cannot coexist, leading to one species excluding the other. The described interaction does not involve competition for identical resources in a way that would exclude, so this is not accurate.
Option 4: resource partitioning. Resource partitioning refers to species evolving to use different resources or use the same resources in different ways or times to minimize competition. The hummingbird–flower interaction is a cooperative pollination relationship, not an example of partitioning resources between species.
Thus, after evaluating each option, the description aligns with mutualism, where both participants gain advantages from the interaction.

BIOL 1009 (001-006/050-055) Final Exam

Hummingbirds use their long beaks to drink nectar from flowers. In turn, they carry the pollen from flower to flower, assisting with the reproduction of the flowers. What relationship does this describe?

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