SANDRA SOPHIA U ACOSTA GRADE VII-SSC

They are two symbiotic things that when they work together, the purity of truth comes out to all who will listen.

The connecting interfaces could be some sort of symbiotic lifeform that was unrelated to begin with.

Drawn largely from the museum's collection, the show tracks this symbiotic relationship with spirit and wit.

The size of a sesame seed, the third gut contains a dense mush of symbiotic microbes. Today the new media exist in a symbiotic relationship with the old. There must be a symbiotic relationship between the state and the state universities. But the box-office returns accrued by offbeat hits suggest a symbiotic relationship. And even when professionals do collaborate, the process isn't always symbiotic. In a symbiotic relationship, the animals depend on each other. Though anemones are toxic, they are known to enjoy several symbiotic relationships.

Symbiosis is taken from the Greek words syn meaning 'with' and biosis that means 'living', which describes the long term or short term relationship between two species. The term 'symbiosis' was first used in biology by Heinrich Anton de Bary, a German mycologist, in the year 1879, who described it as "the living together of unlike organisms". Symbiotic relationship is a biological term used to describe the relationship between two species that depend on each other for survival. Hence the definition states, 'the relationship between two or more different species of organisms who are interdependent on each other for their benefits is known as symbiotic relationship'. Most of the symbiotic relationship activities are associated with food, protection and reproduction.

The Meaning of a Symbiotic Relationship

A symbiotic relationship is directly linked to the word symbiosis. Primarily symbiosis is described as the interaction or process between two or more biological species. The term was initiated in 1877 and it has been used ever since whenever two different species form a relationship.

Symbiotic relationships can be quite different from each other and they are classified as mutualism, parasitism, mimicry and commensalism. Practically, species can interact with each other, help each other or fight for survival. The whole symbiosis process has been studied and examined by specialists over the years. The role of a symbiotic relationship might lead to co-evolution. Some flowers and insects for instance, interact because they need each other. Let’s consider bees and flowers; nectar and pollen are critical for the survival of these two very different species, and the process only works through mutual consent.

A symbiotic relationship can be extremely different and it can manifest in other species as well. Parasitism for example, is one way of symbiosis from which only one individual wins and the other is severely damaged. Hence, they do not cooperate and it is compared with the battle of the fittest.

The world’s fauna and flora are constantly connected in order to ensure survival. However, there is another type of symbiosis encountered in humans. People relate to everything that is different from their species. Animals, plants, insects, bacteria, they all have at some point have a relationship with the human. A symbiotic relationship between an individual and a domestic pet like a cat or dog for example, is focused on mutualism. Both species have benefits; a cat gives peace and love for the individual, and in return she gets affection, food and shelter. Thus, everybody wins.

Neutralism is the lack of a symbiotic relationship, where two or more species cross paths but have no interaction whatsoever.

Taking advantage of one species and using it for a certain purpose is the main definition of symbiosis. Basically, humans cannot live without symbiosis because they need to use plants and animals for different purposes, like food for example. Hence, at least one species wins. Overall, the world is indeed a mysterious place in which species use the other to ensure survival. Plants use insects, insects are used by small animals, animals are eaten by people and sometime even people get eaten by certain mammals. As you can see, symbiosis is an entire process, a cyclical one to be more specific. Everything is connected to a symbiotic relationship sooner or later. In order to guarantee continued existence humans take full advantage of other species. In their world, herbivore animals and insects do the same, they interact with plants to survive.

Examples of Symbiotic Relationships

As mentioned earlier, symbiosis is the relationship between two taxonomic groups of animals that show a dependency on each other. In this relationship, either of the species benefits, gets harmed or remains neutral. Mentioned below are some of the types of symbiosis.

Mutualism: In mutualism, both the host species and the dependent species are benefited. A classic example of this type of symbiotic relationship is the plover bird and the African crocodile. The tiny blackbird plover acts as a toothpick for the fierce crocodile and helps by removing tiny morsels of food that is stuck between the crocodile's teeth. These food particles are the source of food for the bird. Another example is between the ostrich and the zebra. The ostrich always moves with the herd of zebras since it has a poor sense of hearing and smell, whereas the zebra has very sharp senses. The ostrich has a keen sense of sight, which the zebra lacks. Hence, these two species depend on each other to warn one another of any nearby lurking dangers. Some other examples of symbiotic relationships between two or more species are the bumble bee and the flowering plants, the lichen (algae and fungus), human beings and the intestinal bacteria, the sea anemone and clownfish, etc.

Commensalism: This is a relationship between two species of organisms where one species takes advantage of the other without affecting it. In ecology, commensalism can be observed between cattle egrets and the livestock. The cattle egrets are mostly found in meadows and grasslands are always seen near cattle, horses and other livestock. These birds feed on the insects that come out of the field due to the movement of the animals. They even eat ticks, fleas, etc. off the back of animals. The relationship between tigers and golden jackals is also commensalism. The jackal alerts the tiger to a kill and feeds on the remains of the prey left by the tiger. A few other examples are orchids, mosses and trees, barnacles, army ants and birds.

Parasitism: Of the various symbiotic relationships, parasitism is a symbiotic relationship where the parasite gains benefit at the expense of the host organism. There are two forms of parasites - endoparasites, living in the host's body and ectoparasites, existing on the surface. This type of relationship can be seen mostly between human beings and parasites like worms and insects like head lice and mosquitoes. One classic example of parasitism is seen in the case of intestinal parasites and humans, where the parasites suck all the nutrients from the host's body but cause a series of ailments to the host. Parasites are also found in animals and plants.

Competition: Competition occurs between organisms when there are limited resources. For example, large insects defend their feeding sites by shoving off smaller and weak insects. This kind of relationship can be observed in animals as well as birds. In this type of relationship, neither of the species is benefited by the presence of the other.

Neutralism: In this relationship both the species remain unaffected. The species may be living side by side but are unaware of each other and also cause no harm to each other. This is commonly seen in various plant species that grow side by side in forests.

These were some examples of symbiosis in nature. If we observe the surroundings near us we will come across many instances of this survival method. However, it is almost a law of nature that two species have to depend on each other for mutual advantage and existence.