Symbiotic relationships are a special type of interaction

between species. Sometimes beneficial, sometimes harmful,

these relationships are essential to many organisms and
ecosystems, and they provide a balance that can only be
achieved by working together.
Mutualism is the way two organisms of different species exist
in a relationship in which each individual benefits. Similar
interactions within a species are known as co-operation.
Mutualism can be contrasted with interspecific competition,
in which each species experiences reduced fitness, and
exploitation, or parasitism, in which one species benefits at
the expense of the other. Mutualism is a type of symbiosis.
Symbiosis is a broad category, defined to include
relationships that are mutualistic, parasitic, or commensal.
Mutualism is only one type.
A well-known example of mutualism is the relationship
between ungulates (such as Bovines) and bacteria within
their intestines. The ungulates benefit from the cellulase
produced by the bacteria, which facilitates digestion; the
bacteria benefit from having a stable supply of nutrients in
the host environment.

In ecology, commensalism is a class of relationships between
two organisms where one organism benefits without affecting
the other. It can be compared with mutualism, in which both
organisms benefit, amensalism, where one is harmed while
the other is unaffected, and parasitism, where one benefits
while the other is harmed.
Examples of commensal relationships
Commensalism is harder to demonstrate than parasitism and
mutualism, as it is easier to show a single instance in which
the host is affected than it is to disprove that possibility. One
example is a whale and barnacles. Another is the titan
triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens) which creates feeding
opportunities for smaller fish by moving large rocks too big
for them to shift themselves. Yet another example is the
remora, which eats leftover food from a whale and "hitches a
ride".
[citation needed]
Another example of commensalism is the
interaction between sea anemones which have stinging
tentacles and the clownfish that lives among them. The fish is
protected from the predators which stay away from the
stinging tentacles. The sea anemone does not appear to derive
any benefit from the clownfish.

In ecology, predation is a biological interaction where a
predator (an organism that is hunting) feeds on its prey (the
organism that is attacked).
[1]
Predators may or may not kill
their prey prior to feeding on them, but the act of predation
often results in the death of its prey and the eventual
absorption of the prey's tissue through consumption.
Some examples of predator and prey are lion and zebra,
bear and fish, and fox and rabbit
Parasitism is a non-mutual symbiotic relationship between
species, where one species, the parasite, benefits at the
expense of the other, the host. Traditionally parasite referred
primarily to organisms visible to the naked eye, or
macroparasites (such as helminths). Parasite now includes
microparasites, which are typically smaller, such as
protozoans,
[1][2]
viruses and bacteria.
[3]
Some examples of
parasites include the plants mistletoe and cuscuta, and
animals such as hookworms.
Examples
Animal parasites:
lice on humans
mosquitos on humans
leech on mammals
round worms/nematodes in most vertebrates
fasciola in humans
tapeworms in cow
ticks on dogs
fleas on dogs
barnacles on crabs



Bacterial parasites:
Bacterial infections, such as sore throat
E coli in intestine
Worm infestations, such as hookworms or
tapeworms

Competition in biology, ecology, and sociology, is a contest
between organisms, animals, individuals, groups, etc., for
territory, a niche, or a location of resources, for resources and
goods, mates, for prestige, recognition, awards, or group or
social status, for leadership.
Example
Direct competition occurs when individuals compete with
each other directly for the same resource, ie: two bull moose
battling for access to a single female. Indirect competition
occurs when organisms use the same resource, but dont
necessarily interact with each other- for example, diurnal
cheetahs and nocturnal leopards using the same waterhole in
a grassland savanna.