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Ecological Interactions
Symbiosis is a close
ecological relationship
between the
individuals of two (or
more) different
species that dwell
together.
Symbiotic Relationships
Mutualism
Both
benefit
Commensalism
One benefits the other is unaffected
Parasitism
One benefits the other is harmed
Symbiotic Relationships
Neutralism
Both are unaffected
Competition
Neither benefits
Predation
One benefits and the other dies
The clownfish is covered in a slimy
substance that protects it from the
sea anemone’s sting.
The fish receives protection from
predators.
The sea anemone receives
improved water circulation.
Cowbirds eat flies off and
around cows.
The birds get food, and the
cows receive fewer bug bites.
Barnacles are filter feeders that receive water circulation while
attached to the whale. The whale is neither helped nor harmed.
The remora is
able to eat the
scraps of food
left by the shark.
The shark is
neither helped
nor harmed.
A parasitic wasp lays
its eggs on a
caterpillar. The larvae
hatch and gain
nutrition from the
living body of the
caterpillar.
Guinea worm is a parasite that is contracted by
drinking contaminated water. The parasite lays its
eggs inside the human. They require a year to
mature, when the worm burrows its way out of the
body, usually in the lower extremities.
Neither population in an
ecosystem affects the other.
Members of the same
species, or species with
overlapping niches compete
for resources such as food,
water, and nesting sites