Name:

Symbiotic Relationships in an Ecosystem Answer Key

How this organism is
affected by the
relationship: Brief description of what
Relationship Example Picture
+ positively happens to that organism
- negatively
= no impact
Predator

The lion is the predator

Lion + and they get food when
they kill the prey

Prey

The prey are killed in a

Gazelle - predator/prey
relationship

Parasite

Has a safe place to live,

Heartworm +
plenty of food

Host
Not typically killed by
parasite unless population
Dog -
gets too high.
Loses nutrients to parasite
Name:

How this organism is

affected by the
relationship: Brief description of what
Relationship Example Picture
+ positively happens to that organism
- negatively
= no impact
Competition
Both compete for prey
Hyena: -
Hyena and Cheetah and have to protect fresh
Cheetah: -
kills.

Commensalism Remora gets to eat the

scraps when the shark
Remora: +
Remora and Shark eats; gets a free ride.
Shark: =
Shark isn’t affected by
relationship.
Mutualism Bee gets nectar from the
flower to make honey.
Honey Bee: +
Honey Bee and Flower The bee transports pollen
Flower: +
to other plants to enable
sexual reproduction.

1) Predation and parasitism are 2 types of relationships that are often confused. How would you explain that they are two different types
of relationships to someone that may think they are the same?

2) How do mutualism and commensalism compare to one another?