Symbiotic Relationships

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Symbiosis Noun

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[sim-by-oh-sis]

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Symbiosis

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A close, long-term biological interaction between two different species in which at least one of the organisms benefits.

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Example: This diagram compares a bee with helpful gut bacteria (microbiota) to one without, showing how the bacteria help detoxify chemicals from flower nectar.

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Mutualism Noun

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[myoo-choo-uh-liz-uhm]

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Mutualism

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A symbiotic relationship in which both participating species benefit from the interaction, resulting in a mutually positive outcome.

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Example: This diagram shows mutualism between ants and aphids; the ants provide safety and transport, while the aphids provide food (honeydew), benefiting both species.

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Coevolution Noun

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[koh-ev-uh-loo-shuhn]

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Coevolution

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The process where two or more species reciprocally affect each other's evolution, often occurring in close ecological relationships.

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Example: This image shows how different hummingbirds and flowers evolved together; the bird's beak shape is specialized to fit the shape of the flower it feeds on.

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Pollinator Noun

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[pol-uh-ney-ter]

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Pollinator

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An animal or insect that facilitates plant reproduction by moving pollen from the male anther to the female stigma.

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Example: A pollinator, like this bee, is an animal that helps plants reproduce by moving pollen from one flower to another, a type of symbiotic relationship.

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Commensalism Noun

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[kuh-men-suh-liz-uhm]

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Commensalism

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A symbiotic relationship where one species benefits from the interaction while the other is not significantly harmed or helped.

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Example: Barnacles attach to a whale's skin, gaining a safe place to live and access to food-rich water, while the whale is not significantly harmed or helped.

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Epiphyte Noun

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[ep-uh-fahyt]

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Epiphyte

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A non-parasitic plant that grows on another plant, using it for physical support but not for nutritional purposes.

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Example: This image shows an epiphyte, a plant that grows on another plant (like a tree branch) for physical support without harming it.

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Parasitism Noun

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[par-uh-si-tiz-uhm]

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Parasitism

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A symbiotic relationship in which one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host.

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Example: This image shows a parasite (a tick) living on and feeding from a host (a dog), which is a clear example of parasitism.

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Parasite Noun

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[par-uh-sahyt]

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Parasite

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An organism that lives in or on another organism, its host, and benefits by deriving nutrients at its expense.

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Example: This diagram shows the life cycle of a tick, a parasite that must feed on the blood of hosts like deer and humans to survive and reproduce.

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Host Noun

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[hohst]

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Host

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An animal or plant on or in which a parasite or other commensal organism lives and derives its nutrients.

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Example: A tick is a parasite that needs a host, like a dog, to feed on at different stages of its life in order to survive.

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Predation Noun

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[pri-dey-shuhn]

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Predation

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A biological interaction where one organism, the predator, hunts, kills, and eats another organism, its prey, for food.

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Example: This image shows a predator (the lion) hunting its prey (the zebra), a classic example of the symbiotic relationship known as predation.