Symbiotic Species
Matt Wojick
http://www.cbu.edu/~seisen/ExamplesOfMutualism.htm
Parasitism

Parasitism: Type of  Example: Brown-headed
Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
symbiotic relationship
and Eastern Bluebird
between organisms of
(Sialia sialis)
different species
where the parasite
benefits at the
expense of the host.
http://fatfinch.wordpress.com/2008/01/03/cowbirds/
Cowbird / Bluebird

Parasite
http://didyouknowf.blogspot.com/

Host
http://thetravelingwheelchair.com/bluebi
rds-nesting-in-my-yard-in-middleboro/
Parasitic relationship

Cowbirds lay their eggs in
nests of other species of
birds




http://fatfinch.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/cowbird-baby.jpg
Forces the host bird to
raise the cowbirds young
Allows cowbirds more
time to breed and less
time spent building nests
and feeding young
Cowbird chicks hatch
earlier and are bigger so
they end up with more
food then host’s chicks
Can lead to
endangerment of host
species
Physical Characteristics –
Cowbird vs. Bluebird
– Cowbird eggs have shorter
gestation period than
bluebirds
– Cowbird Hatchlings are
larger
– Cowbird chick’s mouths are
bigger with red coloration
– Also cowbirds are louder
– Cowbirds lay up to 40 eggs
per season and can lay
almost daily through the
breeding season
– Bluebirds only lay 10 eggs
per year
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/NetCommunity/page.aspx?pid=1058
Habitat

Brown-headed Cowbird
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/
Molothus_ater_Map.svg/515px-Molothus_ater_Map.svg.png

Eastern Bluebird
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/com
mons/c/cf/Eastern_Bluebird-rangemap.gif
Habitat cont.
Both species prefer open grassland with
scattered trees
 Both live in temperate climate

http://wanicke09.wikis.birmingham.k12.mi.us/Migration+Glossary
Food web
http://juetaofanclub.blogspot.com/2008/12/biology-homework.html
Major role of bluebird and cowbird
– Feed on many
insect pests
– Spread seeds from
eating berries
http://www.flickr.com/photos/granny_to_3/3528877773
/
Mutualism

 Example: Juniper
Mutualism:
(Juniperus communis)
symbiotic relationship
and Mycorrhizal Fungi
between two different
species that interact
in ways that benefit
both of them
http://www.ktsa.com/Mycorrhizae---what-is-it-/6505797?contentRating=1
Mutualism

Juniper Tree
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe
dia/commons/a/a1/Jeneverbes.jpg

Mycorrhizal Fungi
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a
/a5/Mycorrhizal_root_tips_%28amanita%29.jpg
Symbiotic relationship - Mutualism



Mycorrhizal Fungi attach
to the roots of Juniper
seedlings to get nutrition
from plant’s roots
Fungi uses hair like
extensions to improve
juniper’s ability to get
nutrients from soil
Fungi also boosts plants
immune system
http://kevingong.com/Hiking/FreelPeak.html
Physical Characteristics

Juniper Tree
– Slow growing
evergreen shrub
– 5-10m tall
– Can grow in both acid
and alkaline soils
– Has small blue-green
needles up to 1cm
long
– Dioecious tree - plants
are either male or
female; different from
most trees
http://www.danish-schnapps-recipes.com/juniper.html
Physical Characteristics

Mycorrhizal Fungi
– Heterotrophic
organism
– tubular filaments
called hyphae – the
cellular unit of the
fungi
– Mycorrhizal mycelia
(the vegetative part of
a fungus) are much
smaller than the
smallest root = larger
surface area
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6LWjP0sZ22w/St8Avb2MyfI/A
AAAAAAAGcw/-RKkRM0iUpc/s1600-h/hyphae5.jpg
Habitat

Juniper tree:
– Has the largest
geographic range of
any woody plant in the
world
– Circumboreal – found
throughout northern
regions
– Also in North Africa
and Mediterranean
http://blass.com.au/definitions/juniper%20berries
Food web

Juniper Tree:
– Foliage is eaten by
animals: red deer and
rabbits
– Humans use berries to
flavor gin
– Birds eat berries and
seeds
– The juniper berry
miner moth also eats
the seeds

Mycorrhizal Fungi
– Gets nutrients from
juniper tree
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16607532@N00/36749157
Commensalism
Commensalism: A
relationship between
two species that
benefits one species
but has no significant
effect on the other
 Example: Grey
Whales (Eschrichtius
robustus) and
Barnacle (Cryptolepas

rhachianecti)
http://scienceblogs.com/shiftingbaselines/2
007/09/a_whale_of_a_baseline.php
Commensalism

Host: Grey whale
http://www.ontheroadin.com/miscellasneouspic
tures/california_grey_whales_scammon.htm

Commensal: Acorn barnacle
http://score.dnr.sc.gov/species/barnacles.htm
Symbiotic relationship Commensalism
Barnacles are unable
to move from place to
place on their own
 They attach
themselves to whales
to gain access to
nutrient rich waters
 This does not harm or
affect the whale

http://bealbio.wikispaces.com/Period+2+GR+53
Physical Characteristics

Grey whale:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Baleen whale
Mammal
40 to 50 ft long
Weigh 30 to 40 tons
Omnivores
produce primarily lowfrequency sounds for
long-distance
communication and
navigation
http://www.marineecotours.com/recreation/whale-watching-victoria/whales
Physical Characteristics

Acorn barnacle:
– Arthropod (closely
related to crabs)
– Traps plankton with
cirri (its legs) and
draws it back into
mouth.
– Attaches to host by
secreting barnacle
cement from its base
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1144/1447802729_04ecb6bb1a.jpg
Habitat

Grey Whale Range: pacific ocean in
northern hemisphere close to shore
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cetacea_range_map_Gray_Whale.png
Food Web

Grey whale:
– Eats 2000 pounds of
food each day
– Eats small, shrimp like
animals called
amphipods, which feed
on phytoplankton and
zooplankton

Only major predator
is humans (now an
endangered species)
http://www.nilesbio.com/prod295.html
Food Web

Barnacles eat:
– Phytoplankton
– Zooplankton
– Small Bacteria

Whelks (Gastropods)
eat barnacles
http://www.midnightsunschool.com/Katchemak_Bay/graphics/5Giant-barnicle.jpg
Mitigations – Grey whale




1840s to 1940s: Whalers
killed thousands of
whales, decreasing their
population from 24,000 to
only a few thousand
They were given
protection in 1946
over the last half century
their numbers have
increased to over 20,000
They are still protected
under the US Marine
Mammal Protection Act
http://brighteststars.wordpress.com/200
8/03/09/stop-norwegian-whaling-pt2/
Bibliography

"Barnacles (marine Mammals)." Crankshaft. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. <http://www.thecrankshaft.info/2010/11/barnacles-marine-mammals.html>.

"The Benefits of Mycorrhizal Fungi." Clean Air Gardening Supply, Reel Mowers, Composters,
Garden Tools. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. <http://www.cleanairgardening.com/mycorrhizal.html>.
"Cowbirds vs. Songbirds." NCWC: Faculty Pages. Web. 22 Nov. 2010.
<http://faculty.ncwc.edu/mbrooks/pif/Fact Sheets/Cowbirds.htm>.
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
"Gray Whales, Gray Whale Pictures, Gray Whale Facts - National Geographic."
Animals, Animal Pictures, Wild Animal Facts - National Geographic. Web. 22 Nov.
2010. <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/gray-whale.html>.

Miller. “Chapter 7: Community Ecology”, Species Interactions: Parasitism, Mutualism, and
Commensalism. Living In The Environment. 15th ed. 153-155.
"Mycorrhiza." Australian Botany Pages. Web. 22 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.anbg.gov.au/fungi/mycorrhiza.html>.
"Species Profile: Juniper." Trees for Life. Web. 22 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/tfl.juniper.html>.
Truax, Samuel. ""Irresponsible" Cowbirds and the Decline of Songbirds." Prairie Fire - The
Progressive Voice of the Great Plains. Web. 22 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.prairiefirenewspaper.com/2010/07/irresponsible-cowbirds-and-the-decline-ofsongbirds>.
Wood, Andy. "How Do Bluebirds Protect Themselves?: Bluebirds | EHow.com." EHow | How To Do
Just About Everything! | How To Videos & Articles. Web. 22 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.ehow.com/video_5112928_do-bluebirds-protectthemselves_.html?cp=1&wa_vlsrc=continuous&pid=1&wa_vrid=46996509-f3e1-43e6-bb0bcfce13a3d51e>.
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