Symbiosis
Our goal for today is to answer these
questions:
 What is symbiosis?
 What are the different kinds of symbiosis?
 What are some examples of symbiosis?
What is symbiosis?
the act of living together
Symbiosis
What it means:
Two organisms that live together
Temporarily or for a longer time
At least one of the organisms
benefits from the relationship
What are the different kinds of
symbiosis?
Commensalism
Mutualism
both organisms
benefit
Competition
two species
share a
requirement
for a limited
resource
Parasitism
one organism
benefits
one organism
is harmed
one organism
benefits
one organism
is unaffected
Predation
the act of
preying for
food
Mutualism
Organism One
Organism Two
Commensalism
Organism One
Organism Two
Parasitism
Organism One
Organism Two
Predation
Predator
Prey
Competition
Acacia Plant & Ants
The ants lay eggs on
acacia tree so they get
a nice safe place for
their eggs. The acacia
covers the infected
area with brown flesh
(called a gall.) The
plant has to use
valuable resources to
create the gall.
What symbiotic
relationship is this?
parasitism
Anemone & Anemone Fish
This fish lives its entire
adult life among the
tentacles of a bulb- tentacle
sea anemone. Anemone
fish do not get stung by the
anemone as would most
other fish so they get
protection from predators.
The fish often drop food
scraps which the anemones
can eat.
What symbiotic
relationship is this?
mutualism
Grizzly Bear & Salmon
 The Grizzly Bear braces
itself as it waits for
salmon to jump upstream
to their breeding
grounds. The bears rely
on the salmon for
nutrition.
predation
Boxer Crab & Anemones
This Boxer Crab carries a
pair of stinging anemones
in its claws, which it uses
to defend itself from
predators. The anemones
get to move around which
increases their food
supply.
What symbiotic
relationship is this?
mutualism
Shark & Remora
commensalism
The remora attaches itself
to the shark and saves
energy since it doesn’t
have to swim, and it gets to
snack on the sharks kills.
The shark doesn’t get
anything.
What symbiotic
relationship is this?
Elk
 A battle or contest
between individuals,
groups, animals, etc. for
territory, a niche, or a
location of resources. It
arises whenever two or
more parties strive for a
goal which cannot be
shared.
 Images from Wikimedia
Competition
Emperor Shrimp & Sea Cucumber
This tiny emperor shrimp is
riding along on the back of a
sea cucumber (a long wormlike starfish relative) while it
crawls along a sandy bottom.
The shrimp gets to travel
around under the protection of
its much larger partner, and
the sea cucumber doesn't
seem to mind.
What symbiotic
relationship is this?
commensalism
Moray Eel & Cleaner Fish
This moray eel has a small fish
cleaning between its teeth. The
eel gets a clean mouth while the
cleaner fish gets a nice meal.
mutualism
What symbiotic
relationship is this?
Cattle & Cattle Egrets
As these cattle walk
around eating grass they
stir up lots of insects. The
egrets hang around and
get a yummy meal of
insects.
What symbiotic
relationship is this?
commensalism
Southern Elephant Seals
Male on male combat
occurs in many species
including serious battles
between male southern
elephant seals (Mirounga
leonina) which use their
teeth to gash competitors.
Images from Wikimedia
Competition
Clown Fish & Anemone
This clown fish swims in
the anemone and gets
protection, since its
predators will get stung.
The anemone is
unaffected.
commensalism
What symbiotic
relationship is this?
Antelope & Ox Bird
This ox bird
hangs out on the
antelope and gets
a delicious meal
of bugs living on
the antelope. The
antelope gets rid
of parasites.
What symbiotic
relationship is this?
mutualism
Loa Loa Worm & Human
This worm infects
human the blood
stream and gets a
nice warm safe
home there. The
human may go
blind or have other
complications as a
result.
What symbiotic
relationship is this?
parasitism
Goby and Alpheid Shrimp
This alpheid shrimp (on
the right) uses its strong
claws like a bulldozer to
create a burrow in the
sand. The shrimp is nearly
blind. It relies upon its
partner, the sharp-eyed
goby, to warn of danger.
When a potential predator
approaches, both animals
disappear quickly into the
burrow
mutualism
What symbiotic
relationship is this?
Hawk and Mouse
Birds of prey hunt for small
rodents, fish and reptiles
high above ground. They
have very keen eye sight
which allows them to see
the small prey scampering
through the grass or water.
Predation
Wrasse & Batfish
Can you see the two
cleaner wrasses are
removing parasites from
a batfish? One of the
wrasses has entered the
gill slit of the batfish, and
may even enter its
mouth in search of food.
The batfish gets a bath
and the wrasse gets a
meal.
What symbiotic
relationship is this?
mutualism
Hummingbird Moth & Flower
mutualism
This hummingbird moth is
drinking the nectar of a
flower. The flower gets
pollinated (the moth brings
pollen from other flowers)
and the moth gets a tasty
meal.
What symbiotic
relationship is this?
Let’s Review
Answer each of following questions on a sheet of lined paper.
1.
2.
3.
What is symbiosis?
What are the different kinds of symbiosis?
Describe one example of each kind of symbiotic
relationship.