Symbiosis

What is symbiosis? What are the different kinds of symbiosis? What are some examples of symbiosis?

Our goal for today is to answer these questions:

What is symbiosis?

the act of living together

What it means: Two organisms that live togetherTemporarily or for a longer timeAt least one of the organisms benefits from the relationship

Symbiosis

What are the different kinds of symbiosis?

Parasitism

Mutualismboth organisms

benefitone organism

benefitsone organism is unaffected

one organism benefits

one organism is

harmed

Commensalism

Predation

Competitiontwo species

share a requirement for a limited

resource

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 & AntsThe 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

mutualism

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?

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.

mutualism

What symbiotic relationship is this?

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.

Shark & Remora

commensalism

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

This tiny emperor shrimp is riding along on the back of a sea cucumber (a long worm-like 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.

Emperor Shrimp & Sea Cucumber

commensalism

What symbiotic relationship is this?

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.

What symbiotic relationship is this?

mutualism

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.

What symbiotic relationship is this?commensalism

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

What symbiotic relationship is this?

mutualism

This alpheid shrimp (onthe 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

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 itsmouth in search of food. The batfish gets a bath and the wrasse gets a

meal.

What symbiotic relationship is this? mutualism

Hummingbird Moth & Flower

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?

mutualism

1. What is symbiosis?2. What are the different kinds of symbiosis?3. Describe one example of each kind of symbiotic

relationship.

Let’s ReviewAnswer each of following questions on a sheet of lined paper.