Symbiotic Relationships3 Main Types

p.

• Symbiosis—is a close relationship between

two species in which at least one of the

species benefits.

Mutualism + +• Both species benefit. + +

(Benefit means to be helped.)

• Examples-bat in saguaro cactus

• Ants in acacia trees

•Oxpeckers on hippo

Commensalism + neither(+ means benefits or is helped)

• One species benefits and the other species is neither helped nor harmed. + neither

• Examples-hawk and saguaro cactus

• Not very common because usually some harm is done. Example-hole in cactus for owl nest.

Parasitism + -

• One organism lives on or inside another organism

and harms it. + -

• The organism that benefits is the parasite. +

• The organism that it lives on or in is called a host. –

• Examples-fleas, ticks, leeches, tapeworms

• Parasite does not usually kill host. If host dies, the

parasite loses its source of food.

Which type of symbiotic relationship

is this?

Bee in flower

Which type of symbiotic relationship

is this?

Bird nesting in a tree

Which type of symbiotic relationship

is this?

Lichen growing on rocks—

lichen is a fungus and an

algae growing together

Which type of symbiotic relationship

is this?

Fungus growing on wheat

Which type of symbiotic relationship

is this?

• An example of mutual symbiosis is the relationship between clownfish of the genus Amphiprion (family, Pomacentridae) that dwell among the tentacles of tropical sea anemones. The territorial fish protects the anemone from anemone-eating fish, and in turn the stinging tentacles of the anemone protects the anemone fish from its predators (a special mucus on the anemone fish protects it from the stinging tentacles).

• Some goby fish species live in symbiosis with a shrimp.

• Another example is the goby fish, which sometimes lives together with a shrimp. The shrimp digs and cleans up a burrow in the sand in which both the shrimp and the goby fish live. The shrimp is almost blind leaving it vulnerable to predators when above ground. In case of danger the goby fish touches the shrimp with its tail to warn it of imminent danger. When that happens both the shrimp and goby fish quickly retract into the burrow.

Bacteria in gut of cow

Burs in animal fur

Ichneumons lay eggs on eggs/larvae

of other insects

Microscopic organisms live inside

termites

Threadworms infect sheep intestine

Dodder plant winds around another

plant and forms roots into the plant

A remora attaches to a shark

Barnacles on a whale

Ants herd aphids

Orchids grow on other plants for

support

Mistletoe growing on oak tree

Bacteria in human digestive tract

Symbiotic Relationship Poster• Create a poster of two fictitious species

(plant, animal or microorganism)

Draw a picture to fill the poster.

Title the poster with the assigned type of symbiotic relationship.

Write on the poster a description of each of the species.

Describe how the two species interact in the symbiotic relationship and tell where they live.