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Understanding Symbiotic Relationships

There are three categories of symbiotic relationships: parasitism, commensalism, and mutualism. Parasitism harms the host organism while benefiting the parasite. Parasites can live on or inside the host. Commensalism benefits one organism without affecting the other. Over time, a parasitic relationship may evolve into a commensal one if the parasite no longer harms the host. Examples of commensal relationships include orchids growing on trees and remoras attaching to sharks.

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253 views1 page

Understanding Symbiotic Relationships

There are three categories of symbiotic relationships: parasitism, commensalism, and mutualism. Parasitism harms the host organism while benefiting the parasite. Parasites can live on or inside the host. Commensalism benefits one organism without affecting the other. Over time, a parasitic relationship may evolve into a commensal one if the parasite no longer harms the host. Examples of commensal relationships include orchids growing on trees and remoras attaching to sharks.

Uploaded by

farah zahra
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

PART 1

READING

SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS

Symbiosis is a close, long-lasting physical relationship between two different species. In other words,
the two species are usually in physical contact and at least one of them derives some sort of benefit
from this contact. There are three different catagories of symbiotic relationship: parasitism,
commensalism, and mutulism.

Parasitism is a relationship in which one organism, known as the parasite, live in or another
organism, known as the host, from which it derives nourishment. Generally, the parasite is much
smaller than the host. Although the host is harmed by the interaction, it is generally not killed
immediately by the parasite, and some host individuals may live a long time and be relatively little
affected by their parasites. Some parasites are much more destructive than others, however. Newly
established parasite/host relationships are likely to be more destructive than yhose that have a long
evolutionary history. With a long-standing interaction between the parasite and the host, the two
species generally evolve in such a way that they can accommodate one another. It is not in the
parasite’s best interst to kill its host. If it does, it must find another. Like-wise, the host evolves
defences against the parasite, often reducing the harm done by the parasite to a level the host can
tolerate.

Parasites that live on the surface of their hosts are known as ectoparasites. Fleas, lice, and some
molds and mildews are examples of ectoparasites. Many other parasites, like tapeworms, malaria
parasites, many kinds of bacteria, and some fungi, are called endoparasites because they live inside
the bodies of their hosts. A tapeworm lives in the intestines of its host where it is able to resist being
digested and makes use of the nutrients in the intestine.

Even plants can be parasites. Mistletoe is a flowering plant that is parasitic on trees. It establishes
itself on the surface of a tree when a bird transfers the seed to the tree. It then grows down into the
water-conductiing tissues of the tree and uses the water and minerals it obtains from these tissues
to support its own growth.

If the relationship between organisms is one in which one organism benefits while the other is not
affected, it is called commensalism. It is possible to visualize a parasitic relationship evolving into a
commensal one. Since parasites generally evolve to do as little harm to their host as possible and the
host is combating the negative effects of the parasite, they might eventually evolve to the point
where the host is not harmed at all. There are many examples of commensal relationships. Orchids
often use trees as a surface upon which to grow. The tree is not harmed or helped, but the orchid
needs a surface upon which to establish itself and also benefits by being close to the top of the the
tree, where it can get more sunlight and rain. Some mosses, ferns, and many vines also make use of
the surfaces of trees in this way.

In the ocean, many sharks have a smaller fish known as a remora attached to them. Remoras

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