Your Subheading Here!
Symbiosis:
A long-term, interactive
relationship between two
different organisms.
There are 3 types of symbiosis:
commensalism,
mutualism,
and
parasitism.
an association between two
organisms in which
one benefits
and
the other is neither
helped nor harmed
an association between two
organisms in which
both benefit
an association between two
organisms in which
one benefits
and
the other is harmed
Bees fly from flower to flower gathering nectar, which they
make into food for their colonies. When they land in a flower,
the bees get some pollen on their hairy bodies, and when they
land in the next flower, some of the pollen from the first one
rubs off, pollinating the plant, so it can reproduce.
Spider crabs live in shallow areas of the ocean floor, and
greenish-brown algae lives on the crabs‘ backs, making the
crabs blend in with their environment and unnoticeable to
predators.
The Arctic fox follows caribou while they forage for grasses.
The caribou dig in the snow to get the grasses. Once a caribou
digs up the soil, the Arctic fox comes and hunts some of the
underground mammals that have come closer to the surface
due to the digging action of the caribou.
A certain kind of bacteria (bacteria = plural; bacterium =
singular) live in the intestines of humans and other animals. A
human’s digestive system cannot digest all of the food a
person eats. So, bacteria in the intestines eat the food that
the human cannot digest, and the bacteria partially digest it,
allowing the human to finish the job.
When horses, cows, and other livestock graze in fields, they
tend to stir up and move many insects that have been resting
on the grass. The cattle egret then catches the insects and
eats them.
Tapeworms are segmented flatworms that attach themselves
to the insides of the intestines of animals such as cows, pigs,
and even humans. They get food by eating the host's partially
digested food, depriving the host of nutrients.
Oxpecker birds perch on rhinos or zebras and eat ticks that live on
their skin. The oxpeckers get food, and the beasts get pest
control. Also, when there is danger, the oxpeckers fly upward and
scream a warning the rhinos and zebras have learned to trust.
Fleas find a host, such as dogs, and bite their skin, suck their
blood, and cause them to itch. So, the fleas get food and a warm
home, and the hosts get itchy skin and sometimes infections.
Remora sharks have an adhesive disk on their dorsal (back)
surface that allows them to attach themselves to whales or other
large marine animals. Once attached, the sharks feed on the
remains, or uneaten scraps, from the other marine animal’s food.
1. What are two key characteristics in defining
symbiosis?
2. Who benefits in mutualism?
3. What is commensalism?
4. What is the 3rd type of symbiosis?
5. Why isn’t there a type of symbiosis in which both
organisms are harmed?
6. When a lion stalks a gazelle, catches it, and eats it, is
that a type of symbiosis? Why or why not?
7. What type of symbiosis would best describe
a teacher-student relationship? Why?
1. What are two key characteristics in defining
symbiosis?
long-term & interactive
2. Who benefits in mutualism?
both benefit (it’s mutual!)
3. What is commensalism?
In commensalism, one participant benefits,
and the other is unharmed.
4. What is the 3rd type of symbiosis?
parasitism
5. Why isn’t there a type of symbiosis in which both
organisms are harmed?
All organisms learn from their mistakes, and they tend
to avoid situations that might harm them.
6. A lion stalks a gazelle, catches it, and eats it. Does that
scenario describe a symbiotic relationship? Why?
No, this is an example of PREDATION. It is not a type
of symbiosis because the relationship is a SHORT-TERM
one, not a long-term one.
7. What type of symbiosis would best describe
a teacher-student relationship? Why?
Answers will vary, depending on perceptions!