Symbiosis in biology: meaning and examples

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 12 February 2021
Update Date: 12 November 2024
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What is Symbiosis?
Video: What is Symbiosis?

Content

In nature, all organisms, whether animals, plants or bacteria, create bonds and establish relationships ranging from members of the same family to individuals of different species. We can observe relationships between a predator and its prey, parents and its progeny, or interactions that initially go beyond our understanding.

Have you heard anything about this term? In this article by Animal Expert, we'll explain everything about symbiosis in biology: definition and examples. Don't miss it!

what is symbiosis

The word symbiosis in biology was invented by De Bary in 1879. It is a term that describes the coexistence of two or more organisms that are not closely related in phylogeny (kinship between species), that is, that they do not belong to the same species. Modern usage of the term generally assumes that the meaning of symbiosis is the relationship between two living beings in which organisms benefit, even if in different proportions.


The association must be permanent between these individuals they can never be separated. Organisms involved in a symbiosis are called "symbionts" and can benefit from it, suffer damage or not obtain any effect from the association.

In these relationships, it often happens that organisms are unequal in size and distant in phylogeny. For example, the relationships between different higher animals and microorganisms or between plants and microorganisms, where microorganisms live within the individual.

Symbiosis: definition according to Priberam dictionary

To briefly show what symbiosis is, we also provide the Priberam definition [1]:

1. f. (Biology) Reciprocal association of two or more different organisms that allows them to live with benefit.


Types of symbiosis

Before we give some examples, it is essential that you know what are the types of symbiosis existing:

Mutualism

In a mutualistic symbiosis, both parties benefit from the relationship. However, the extent to which each symbiote benefits can vary and is often difficult to measure. The benefit a symbiote receives from a mutual association must be considered depending on how much it costs him. There is probably no example of mutualism where both partners benefit equally.

Commensalism

Interestingly, this term was described three years before symbiosis. We call commensalism those relationships in which one of the parties obtains benefits without harming or benefiting the other. We use the term commensalism in its most extreme sense, the benefit of which is only for one of the symbionts and can be nutritional or protective.


Parasitism

Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship in which one of the symbionts benefits at the expense of the other. The first factor in parasitism is nutrition, although other factors can occur: the parasite gets its food from the body it parasitizes. This kind of symbiosis affects the host in different ways. Some parasites are so pathogenic that they produce a disease soon after entering the host. In some associations, symbionts co-evolved so that the death of the host (the organism that is parasitized) is not provoked, and the symbiotic relationship is much longer lasting.

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symbiosis examples

these are some symbiosis examples:

Mutualism

  • The symbiosis between algae and corals: corals are animals that grow well in nutrient-deficient media due to their symbiotic relationship with algae. These provide food and oxygen, while corals provide algae with residual substances such as nitrogen and nitrogen dioxide.
  • The clownfish and the sea anemone: you've certainly seen this example on many occasions. The sea anemone (jellyfish family) has a pungent substance to paralyze its prey. The clownfish benefits from this relationship because it receives protection and food, as it daily rids the anemone of small parasites and dirt, which is the benefit they obtain.

Commensalism:

  • Relationship between the silver fish and the ant: this insect lives with the ants, waits for them to bring the food to feed. This relationship, contrary to what we might think, does not harm or benefit the ants, since the silver fish only consume a small amount of food reserves.
  • The tree house: one of the clearest examples of commensalism is that in which an animal seeks refuge in the branches or trunks of trees. The vegetable, generally, does not receive any harm or benefit in this relationship.

Parasitism:

  • Fleas and the dog (example of parasitism): this is an example that we can easily observe in our daily lives. Fleas use the dog as a place to live and breed, in addition to feeding on its blood. The dog does not benefit from this relationship, on the contrary, fleas can transmit diseases to dogs.
  • The cuckoo (example of parasitism): cuckoo is a bird that parasitizes the nests of other species. When he arrives at a nest with eggs, he displaces them, puts his own and leaves. When the birds that own the displaced eggs arrive, they don't notice and create the cuckoo's eggs.

human symbiosis:

  • The guide bird of honey and the Masai: in Africa, there is a bird that guides the Masai to hives hidden in trees. Humans chase the bees away and collect the honey, leaving the bird free to take the honey without the threat of the bees.
  • Relationship with bacteria: both inside the human intestine and in the skin, there are beneficial bacteria that protect us and help us to be healthy, without them our existence would not be possible.

endosymbiosis

THE endosymbiosis theory, in a nutshell, explains that it was the union of two prokaryotic cells (bacteria, for example) that gave rise to chloroplasts (organelle responsible for photosynthesis in plant cells) and mitochondria (organelles responsible for cellular respiration in plant and animal cells).

In recent years, the study of symbiosis has become a scientific discipline and it has been argued that symbiosis is not an evolutionarily fixed relationship, but can manifest itself in many forms, such as commensalism or parasitism. A stable mutualism in which the contribution of each organism involved guarantees its own future.