Symbiotic Relationships
Mutualism, Parasitism, Commensalism
Mutualism
Examples:
- Bees and flowers (The bees eat and the flowers reproduce)
- Sea Anemone and clownfish (clownfish has a home and sea anemone shocks predators which keeps the clownfish safe)
- Bacteria (in intestines) and a human or animal (bacteria benefit because they get food and the human or animal is able to digest its food)
Parasitism
Examples:
- Tapeworms and humans or animals (Tapeworms attach themselves to the inside of the intestines and eat the hosts digested food which causes the victim to lose nutrients)
- Fleas and animals (Fleas bite on the victims flesh, suck their blood and causes itchiness. The fleas also get food and a warm home.)
*Parasites don't intentionally kill the host. It needs the host and its body functions (blood circulation and digestion) to survive.*
Commensalism
Examples:
- Barnacles and whales (Barnacles have a place to live but whale does not benefit from it)
- Leopard shark and remora (Remora attaches itself to the leopard shark so it doesn't have to use its own energy to travel and the shark, of course, is unaffected.)
- Mites and flies, beetles and wasps (Mites use these organisms for transportation.)