WANTED:
Interactions Amongst Organisms
The ox pecker bird, which is seen
standing on the head of this antelope,
removes ticks and other irritating
insects and eats them as his primary
food source. In return, the ox peckers
often signal the presence of predators
that may attack the antelope providing
protection for them. This symbiotic
relationship is called…
Mutualism, a relationship between two species in
which both species benefit.
Clownfish live within the waving
mass of tentacles of sea
anemones; because most fish
avoid the poisonous tentacles,
the clownfish are protected from
predators. The sea anemones
are not affected by the clownfish
at all. This symbiotic relationship
is called…
Commensalism is a relationship between two species in
which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected.
Fleas harm their hosts, such as
dogs, by biting their skin, sucking
their blood, and causing them to
itch. The fleas, in turn, get food
and a warm home. This
symbiotic relationship is called…
Parasitism a relationship between two species in which one
species, the parasite, benefits from the other species, the
host, which is harmed.
There is a relationship between
the fruit of some plants and fruit
eating birds. The fruit provides
nutrition for the bird and in return
the bird spreads the seeds of the
plant as the fruit, loaded with
seeds passes through the bird’s
digestive system and the seeds
are deposited on the ground to
grow into new plants. This
symbiotic relationship is called…
Mutualism, a relationship between two species in
which both species benefit.
There are protozoa, very small organisms, which live in the gut of termites.
Without these protozoa, the termite would be unable to digest the wood that
it eats. The protozoa, in return, are provided with food, shelter and a
means of transportation. This symbiotic relationship is called…
Mutualism, a relationship between two species in
which both species benefit.
Cattle egrets are birds that live
near grazing cattle. They seem
to benefit from living with the
cattle, because the cattle disrupt
insects in the grasses, providing
the birds with a readily available
food source. The cattle gain
nothing from this relationship.
This symbiotic relationship is
called…
Commensalism is a relationship between two species in
which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected.
Brown-headed Cowbirds lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, such
as the Wood thrush, and do not provide any parental care for their own
offspring. Care that the Wood thrush provides to the young Cowbirds is
care that they do not give to their own young. This often has results in
the death of the young Wood thrush and survival of the Cowbird. This
type of symbiotic relationship is called…
Parasitism a relationship between two species in which one
species, the parasite, benefits from the other species, the
host, which is harmed.
The fungus "chicken of the woods"
grows on trees. The fungus breaks
down the tree and gets its nutrients
that way. As a result of the fungus, the
tree decays, gets weak, and is in
danger of falling during bad weather.
This symbiotic relationship is called…
Parasitism a relationship between two species in which one
species, the parasite, benefits from the other species, the
host, which is harmed.
Bees are dependent on flowers, the pollen and nectar that they get from
flowers is an important source of energy for the bees. Flowers are also
dependent on the bees, as the bees move from flower to flower they
pollinate the flowers, allowing them to reproduce and by creating fruits
and seeds. This symbiotic relationship is called…
Mutualism, a relationship between two species in
which both species benefit.
Entomoeba gingivalis, is an
amoeba, small organism, that
lives in the human mouth. It
feeds on bacteria and food
scraps in the mouth with no
benefit or harm done to its
human host. This symbiotic
relationship is called…
Commensalism is a relationship between two species in
which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected.
The tapeworm pictured above is
a flatworm that attaches itself to
the insides of the intestines of
animals such as cows, pigs, and
humans. They get food by eating
the host's partly digested food,
taking important nutrients away
from the host. This symbiotic
relationship is called…
Parasitism a relationship between two species in which one
species, the parasite, benefits from the other species, the
host, which is harmed.
Orchids, which are plants found in tropical areas, have a relationship with
the trees on which they live. The orchids benefit from the environment
provided by these trees, while the trees do not appear to be helped or
harmed. This symbiotic relationship is called…
Commensalism is a relationship between two species in
which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected.