Define symbiosis and compare and contrast the different types of symbiotic relationships and give an example of each

What will be an ideal response?


Symbiosis is a relationship in which organisms of two different species live together in close association. There are three types of symbiotic relationships: mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. In all three types of symbiosis, one organism (species) benefits from the relationship. Mutualism is a type of symbiosis in which both organisms benefit from the association. An example of mutualism would be a cleaner wrasse and a grouper. The grouper has gill and mouth parasites removed by the cleaner wrasse preventing damage to vital parts of the body and the cleaner wrasse gets a meal without expending a lot of energy to forage or hunt for prey. Commensalism is a symbiotic relationship in which one organism (species) benefits and the other is unaffected. An example of a commensalistic relationship is a remora and a shark. The remora hitches a ride on the shark and gets the scraps left over from the shark's meal while the shark is unaffected by the remora's presence. Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship in which one organism (species) benefits and the other species is harmed. An example of a parasitic relationship is the gill isopod of fishes. The isopod gets a meal and protection from predators while the fish' s ability to exchange oxygen is compromised.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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