The great biodiversity of beings presented by our planet is undoubtedly extraordinary. However, all life on earth goes much further, because all of it develops thanks to the interaction between the environment and all living beings, as well as the relationships established between the different species. From Ecology Verde we want to present one of these relationships: symbiosis, which is responsible for many life forms on the planet. If you want to know more, here we tell you What is symbiosis in ecology And we put you Some examples that will be very useful to better understand this issue.
What is symbiosis in ecology and biology
Can Define symbiosis as the narrow one Coexistence relationship which is established at the ecological level between two individuals of different species that are in direct contact between them with the objective of obtaining a benefit of said union.
These two organisms involved are called “Symbiones“Or, if they are of different size, the one that is larger is called the host and the smallest symbiote. These relationships were called as such for the first time by the German botanist Heinrich Anton de Bary in 1879.
Types of symbiosis
Symbiotic relationships They can be classified according to several factors, such as, for how the relationship of symbiosis that occurs between the two individuals, which is sometimes essential for life. With this we mean that not in all cases the two species benefit. There are relationships in which only one of them is benefited, being able to be harmful to the other. We tell you next.
Depending on the costs and benefits obtained by the species involved We can distinguish between:
- Mutualism: It is usually used as a synonym for symbiosis, although it is not exactly the same. Mutualist relationships are those in which the two organizations involved obtain benefits.
- Commentaryism: unusual in nature, one of the species benefits from the other, although they do not harm because it does not involve the species “guest.”
- Parasitism: One of the species, called parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host species, but, in this case, it does harm him. An example is that of parasites that affect plants.
In response to how the spatial relationship between the two symbiontes organisms is, that is, whether one of the symbions lives inside or not of the other, we can distinguish between:
- Endosimbiosis: if the organism lives inside the cells of the other symbion or in the holes that remain between them.
- Ectosimbiosis: If the symbiote can survive outside the other, that is, outside its cells, being able to be on the surface of the digestive tract, exocrine glands or externally on your body.
As we said, some of these relationships are indispensable for life. Therefore, they can again be classified according to whether they are temporary (optional) or permanent (mandatory) relationships.
Finally, according to the way in which this relationship has been established, it can be distinguished between Symbiotic vertical transmission relationshipswhen the symbions are transmitted to the offspring, or the Symbiotic horizontal transmission relationshipswhen the host organism obtains its symbionte of the environment generation after generation.
Importance of symbiosis and examples
As will be clearer through examples, Symbiosis relationships are very important in the environmentbecause they allow many species to survive. That is why we consider that symbiosis functions as a EVOLUTION PATIENT of these species, which manage to improve their way of life establishing relationships with other organisms and species.
The examples are very numerous and varied. Here are some Examples of symbiosis in ecology and biology So that, in this way, the importance that these types of relationship involve for the survival of these organisms is clearer.
- Ants and aphids: Some ants species, such as black ant (Lasius Niger) Protect herd herds that in return facilitate food and molasses, a sugary substance that produce carbohydrates. In the main image of this article we can see this same example.
- Ants and acacias: other ants species such as Pseudomyrmex Feruginea They protect the acacias of other parasites or herbivores. In return the tree provides refuge and food.
- Crocodiles and chorlitos: It is known to all the great power of crocodiles in the jaws. These have nothing more and nothing less than 80 teeth, which replace 2 or 3 times a year and food remains can cause serious problems such as infections. Thus arises the relationship with Egyptian chorlitos. These obtain their food by cleaning the remains they find between the teeth of the crocodiles and these avoid oral problems allowing them to move inside their mouths.
- Sharks and Rémoras: This is the clearest case of Commentaryism. Surely you have seen that under the sharks other fish that accompany them. These adhere to sharks and obtain from them protection and food of the food remains that they do not eat. For sharks, the presence of the rams is practically indifferent.
- Blind government and prawn fish: The prawn, despite its lack of vision, excavates the burrow that keeps clean and allows the fish to share to act as its Lazarillo for the search for food and, in addition, it warns you of the dangers that stalk through movements of its tail that create vibrations that the prawn is able to detect, at which time both can hide in the burrow.
- The clown and the anemone: These fish perform their entire life inside the anemones, which are very poisonous. They establish a mutualist relationship in which the clown fish attracts other predatory fish that, upon contact with the anemone, are paralyzed and serve as food, whose remains take advantage of the clown fish.
- LICQUES: are symbiotic associations between a fungus and an algae. The fungus protects the algae from dehydrating and provides a structure on which to grow, and the algae manufactures carbohydrates that the fungus can use as food. There is a wide variety of lichens since they are very resistant and capable of colonizing very diverse environments.
- Mycorrhizas: Mycorrhizas are fungi that establish symbiotic relationships with multiple plant species of vascular plants. As? The roots of these plants secrete useful substances for these fungi and these in return make materials that are in the soil such as minerals and other decomposition materials are more assimilable by plants.
- Intestinal and microbiota flora: In our intestine, as well as in many other parts of our body, there is a lot of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in symbiosis with our cells and that are of great importance to our health to such an extent that variations in this microbiota can cause alterations in our body.
Now that you know well what symbiosis in ecology and biology is and you have seen various examples, you may also be interested in knowing with this other ecology article see the interspecific relationships: types and examples. Down here you can see this Symbiosis Summary on video.
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