Mutualism, Parasitism, and Commensalism

Symbiosis

By Aguado Angelica

Ecology Introduction

e·col·o·gy

/ēˈkäləjē/

Learn to pronounce

noun

the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.

Symbiosis

• Two different species living in close contact.

• Different Types: Mutualism, Commensalism, Parasitism

Mutualism

Win Win Situation: Both species benefit

One example: The human body is home to more than 10,000 species of bacteria! They help us digest food, protect our immune system, and absorb nutrients. The bacteria get food and a home!

Parasitism

Win Lose Situation : One benefits and one is harmed. Host and Parasite.

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One example: A mushroom (Cordyceps) compels the ant to climb to the top of the nearest plant and clamp its tiny jaws in a death grip around a leaf or twig. The fungus then slowly devours the ant, sprouting through its head. continuing the cycle.

Commensalism

One benefits, the other is not helped or harmed.

One example: Barnacles and whales. Barnacles get food and a home, the whale doesn't mid having some barnacles on it.

Predation

• One animal becomes the resource for another.

• Predator - Prey

• Helps control the size of a population

Competition

• Organisms are competing for resources

• Can be a competition with members of the SAME species or with members of a DIFFERENT species that use the same resource

Multiple Choice

Which Relationship: A bluebird lives in a maple tree. It builds a nest in the tree to keep it's eggs safe.

• Mutualism

• Commensalism

• Parasitism

• Predation

Multiple Choice

Which Relationship: A stinging sea anemone lives on the claws of a boxing crab. The crab uses the anemones like boxing gloves to protect itself.

• Competition

• Mutualism

• Parasitism

• Commensalism

Multiple Choice

Which Relationship: As a colony of braconid wasps undergo metamorphosis, they live on a hornworm and digest its insides, causing the worm to die.

• Predation

• Mutualism

• Parasitism

• Commensalism

Multiple Choice

Which relationship causes one species to become the resource (biotic factor) for another species??

• Symbiosis

• Competition

• Predation

Multiple Choice

What is the organism that is harmed in a parasitic relationship?

• parasite
• host
• consumer
• producer

Multiple Choice

A limited supply of food and shelter in the same habitat will lead to -

• mutualism
• parasitism
• competition
• environmental changes

Multiple Choice

According to the graph, what is causing the deer population to decrease

• They got sick

• The wolf population is decreasing

• The wolf population increased

• They ran out of food

Multiple Choice

If there is more food than usual in an ecosystem, then the population will mostly likely...

• stay the same
• decrease
• increase
• reach carrying capacity

Multiple Choice

I am a bat that lives in caves. At night, I fly around and locate moths to eat for nutrition.

• Commensalism

• Predation

• Mutualism

• Parasitism

Multiple Choice

Cleaner wrasse live in “cleaning stations” in a reef. They remove and eat parasites, dead tissue and mucous from reef fish, which helps reef fish stay healthy.

• Commensalism

• Mutualism

• Predation

• Parasitism

Multiple Choice

The cattle egret, a short bird found foraging in cattle herds, eats insects that have been disturbed when the cattle forage. It doesn’t affect the cattle, but the cattle egret depends on this food source.

• Commensalism

• Mutualism

• Parasitism

• Predation