What is Symbiosis?

1. 2. Interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association, typically to the advantage of both. In other words,

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Symbiosis is a close relationship between two or more different species.

Symbiosis is a situation in which 2 different organisms live together in close association. Just living in the same place is not enough. By "close association" biologists mean that if they are separated, one (or both!) of these organisms will probably die. There are 3 types of symbiosis, Mutualism, Parasitism, and Commensalism.

Mutualism
Mutualism is when both organisms benefit from the relationship. In this picture, ants are living in a young acacia plant. The ants have a home inside the hollow stem of the acacia. (Can you see the hole they are going in and out of?) They also get sugar from the plant. The acacia produces small spots of sugar at the base of each leaf. (The brown spot opposite the hole is a sugar gland.)

The plant also needs to benefit, and if you try to munch on the acacia's leaves, you will know why! The ants attack anything foolish enough to try to damage the acacia's leaves.

Advantages and disadvantages of mutualism The advantage is that both species benefits from each other. There are no disadvantages.

Parasitism
Parasitism is when one organism benefits and one is hurt by the relationship.

This strangler fig growing on another tree is an example of parasitism. The fig is getting support so it can grow quickly and get more sunlight. Although the fig doesn't really strangle the tree, it does make it harder for the tree to get water and nutrients from the soil and also blocks some of the sunlight from reaching the tree's leaves.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF PARASITISIM

The host of a parasite gets no advantages. If it did, then the relationship would be mutualistic not parasitic. If one is advantaged and the other is relatively unaffected then the relationship is commensally. Some plants are parasitic (i.e. Mistletoe) and other plants are parasitized. Many human diseases are caused by parasites (malaria, sleeping sickness etc) so this is clearly a disadvantage but humans can use parasites to their benefit. Many biological controls involve the use of parasites. In short a parasite is a disadvantage to its host, but may play a number of other roles within the ecosystem.

COMMENSALISM
Commensalism is a relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is not affected. Orchids can illustrate this. Orchids are epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants). They grow high in the canopy of rainforests on the branches of trees. The orchids benefit in several ways. The main benefit is probably that they can get more sunlight. In addition, they may be more easily visited by the moths which pollinate them. Also, because they are up high the wind can more easily catch and spread their tiny seeds. Orchids do not harm the trees they grow in. Their roots stay on the bark of the tree; they do not take water or nutrients from the tree.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF COMMENSALISM

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One organism uses another to get a better position in the environment Neither organism is harmed-- there is usually no physiological interaction between the two organisms Most often for photosynthesis advantages in shaded areas -- very common in rainforests May also be for reproductive advantages-- some fungi climb up trees and vines (while not gaining nutrition from them) in order to release their spores from as high a perch as possible

Commensalism is very important in nature.

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There are three types of symbiosis CommensalismA relationship where one species obtains food or shelter from the other species. It does not harm or help the other species.

MutualismA relationship where both species benefit from the relationship.

Parasitism-- A relationship between two species in which one species (the parasite) nourishes itself to the disadvantage of the other species (the host).

Examples of symbiosis
An example of mutual symbiosis is the relationship between clownfish that live among the tentacles of tropical sea anemones. The clownfish protects the anemone from other fish, and the stinging tentacles of the anemone protect the anemone fish from its predators. A special mucus on the clownfish protects it from the stinging tentacles. 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 live. The shrimp is almost blind, and is vulnerable to predators when above ground. When a predator approaches, the goby touches the shrimp with its tail as a signal. When that happens both the shrimp and goby quickly retreat into the burrow. A lichen is an intimate combination of a fungus with an alga. The alga lives inside the fungus, which must have the alga to survive. The alga, on the other hand, can survive on its own. The result of the union is a flat, coloured lichen which grows on rocks and other surfaces in the open air. Herbivores are host to gut bacteria which help them digest plant material. Plant cell walls are made of cellulose, and almost no animal has developed an enzyme to digest this material. Therefore, at least for herbivores which eat leaves, the bacteria are essential. Some species of ants 'farm' aphids, protecting them from predators, and moving them from one feeding site to another. The ants consume the sweet sticky fluid which aphids secrete after sucking plant sap.

Examples of commensalism

Example of mutualism

Example of parasitism