SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP

WHAT IS SYMBIOSIS?

• SYMBIOSIS FROM THE GREEK WORD “SYMBIOUN” MEANS “ TO LIVE TOGETHER”.

• IN BIOLOGY, TERM FOR THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF DIFFERENT SPECIES, WHICH ARE
SOMETIMES CALLED SYMBIONTS.
• A CLOSE, LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT SPECIES.
 WHAT IS SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP?

• 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.
• SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS CAN BE OBLIGATE OR FACULTATIVE.
TYPES OF SYMBIOTIC
RELATIONSHIPS
 1. MUTUALISM
• IT IS A RELATIONSHIP IN WHICH BOTH
ORGANISMS ARE BENEFITED, SUCH THEY
BECOME MUTUALLY DEPENDENT UPON EACH
OTHER.
• THE RELATIONSHIP CAN BE LONG OR SHORT
TERM.

EX: PLANTS AND THEIR POLLINATION

-POLLINATORS FEED ON THE
PLANTS AND POLLEN GETS STUCK TO THEM.
-POLLEN IS DEPOSITED ON
THE NEXT PLANT, ALLOWING THE PLANTS TO
REPRODUCE SEXUALLY.
 2. PARASITISM
• IT IS A RELATIONSHIP IN WHICH THE PARASITE
IS BENEFITED ,BUT THE HOST MAY BE HARM.
• PARASITE FEEDS ON THE HOST ORGANISM.
• UNLIKE PREDATION, IT DOES NOT RESULT IN
THE IMMEDIATE DEATH OF THE HOST.
EX: TAPEWORMS CAN LIVE IN HUMAN
DIGESTIVE TRACT FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME
THERE ARE 2 DIFFERENT TYPES OF PARASITES:
1. ECTOPARASITES • EXTERNAL
PARASITES – LIVE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOST
• EX: TICKS, FLEAS, MOSQUITOES
2. ENDOPARASITES • INTERNAL
PARASITES – LIVE INSIDE THE HOST’S BODY
• EX: BACTERIA, PROTISTS, TAPEWORMS
 3. COMMENSALISM

• IS A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP WHERE ONE

ORGANISM BENEFITS AND THE SECOND IS
NEITHER HARMED NOR HELPED.
• THE SYMBIONT BENEFITS BY RECEIVING
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, AND/OR
NUTRITION.
EX: WHALES AND BARNACLES
-BARNACLES HAVE THE
BENEFIT OF MOVING THROUGH WATERS
ATTACHED TO THE WHALE.
-THE WHALE RECEIVES NO
BENEFIT, BUT IS NOT HARMED EITHER.
 4. COOPERATION
• IT REFERS THE BENEFICIAL INTERACTION OF
THE SAME KIND OF ORGANISMS. THE
ORGANISMS, HOWEVER, DO NOT BECOME
DEPENDENT ON ONE ANOTHER.
EX: COLONY OF TERMITES
-THE WORKER ARE SMALL
AND STERILE ORGANISM WHICH ARE VERY
ACTIVE IN PERFORMING TASKS.
-THE SOLDIER HAVE BIG
HEADS AND LONG SHARP JAWS WHOSE JOB
IS TO PROTECT THE COLONY AGAINST ENEMY.
-THE QUEEN, WHICH IS THE
BIGGEST IS THE ONLY MEMBER CAPABLE OF
REPRODUCING.
 5. COMPETITION
• THE USE OF THE SAME LIMITED RESOURCE BY
TWO OR MORE SPECIES IN THE SAME PLACE
AT THE SAME TIME
• RESOURCE = ANYTHING NECESSITY OF LIFE
(WATER, NUTRIENTS, LIGHT, FOOD, OR SPACE)
• COMPETITION MAY CAUSE THE DEVELOPMENT
OF DIFFERENT NICHES OR PHYSICAL
CHARACTERISTICS.
• COMPETITIVE EXCLUSION PRINCIPLE
- NO TWO SPECIES CAN OCCUPY THE SAME
NICHE IN THE SAME HABITAT AT THE SAME TIME.
EX: PARAMECIA
-TWO SPECIES OF PARAMECIA
WILL THRIVE SEPARATELY, BUT WHEN PUT
TOGETHER, ONE SPECIES IS ELIMINATED
• ORGANISMS MAY DEVELOP PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES
BECAUSE OF COMPETITION FOR RESOURCES.
• CHARACTER DISPLACEMENT – EVOLUTION OF
ANATOMICAL DIFFERENCES THAT REDUCES
COMPETITION.
-HAPPENS MOST WHERE
RANGES OF COMPETITORS OVERLAP.
EX: DARWIN’S FINCHES
-SPECIES FOUND IN SEPARATE
LOCATIONS HAVE THE SAME BEAK SIZE.
-ALLOWS THEM TO FEED ON
DIFFERENT SEEDS AND REDUCES COMPETITION
• ORGANISMS MAY DEVELOP DIFFERENCES IN NICHES
BECAUSE OF COMPETITION FOR RESOURCES.
-RESOURCE PARTITIONING – SPECIES COEXIST
BY USING ONLY PART OF THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES
EX: SOME BIRDS EAT THE SAME
INSECTS, BUT HUNT FOR THEM IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
 6. PREDATION
• PREDATION IS A RELATIONSHIP WHERE ONE
ORGANISM CAPTURES AND CONSUMES
ANOTHER.
-PREDATOR – ORGANISM DOING THE
CAPTURING.
-PREY – ORGANISM BEING CAPTURED.
• A PREDATOR’S SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON ITS
ABILITY TO CATCH ITS PREY.
EX: RATTLESNAKE VENOM,
SPIDER WEB, ETC.
• A PREY’S SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON ITS ABILITY
TO AVOID BEING CAUGHT.
- CAMOUFLAGE, MIMICRY,
PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL DEFENSES
• PREY DEFENSES
MIMICRY – A DEFENSE WHERE ONE
ORGANISM RESEMBLES ANOTHER THAT IS DANGEROUS
OR POISONOUS
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF MIMICRY:
BATESIAN MIMICRY- A HARMLESS ORGANISM
CLOSELY RESEMBLES A DANGEROUS ONE.
- PREDATORS LEARN TO
AVOID BOTH SPECIES.
EX: KING SNAKE AND CORAL
SNAKE.
MULLERIAN MIMICRY- TWO HARMFUL
ORGANISMS RESEMBLE ONE ANOTHER
- ADDED ADVANTAGE TO
THEIR ALREADY HARMFUL ADAPTATIONS.
EX: BEES AND WASPS HAVE SIMILAR
STRIPING
• PLANTS HAVE ALSO DEVELOPED
ADAPTATIONS TO PROTECT THEM FROM
PREDATORS.
• PHYSICAL DEFENSES MAKE THEM DIFFICULT
TO EAT.
EX: SPINES, THORNS, TOUGH LEAVES
• CAN PRODUCE SECONDARY COMPOUNDS
• SECONDARY COMPOUNDS ARE
SYNTHESIZED FROM PRODUCTS OF THE
PLANT’S METABOLISM
• USUALLY POISONOUS, IRRITATING, OR BAD-
TASTING
EX: POISION IVY AND POISON OAK