Symbiosis is any type of a close and long-term biological interaction, between two organisms.
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Mutualism: Both species benefit. This relationship is essential for many ecosystems, promoting survival and resource sharing.
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Commensalism: One organism benefits, while the other is unaffected. It often occurs in habitats where one species relies on another for transportation, shelter, or access to food.
- Inquilinism: One organism lives within another’s habitat without affecting it, like birds nesting in trees.
- Phoresy: One organism uses another for transportation, as in mites hitching rides on insects.
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Parasitism: One organism (the parasite) benefits at the expense of the other (the host), often harming but not killing the host.
- Endoparasites: Live inside the host, like tapeworms in intestines.
- Ectoparasites: Live on the surface of the host, like lice on mammals.
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Amensalism: One species is inhibited or harmed, while the other remains unaffected. This often involves competition for resources or release of toxins.
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Neutralism: Both species interact without affecting each other. Though true neutralism is rare in nature, it describes situations where neither species relies on nor harms the other.
Each type plays a unique role in ecosystems, shaping interactions that contribute to ecological diversity and evolutionary adaptations.