Knowra Mutualism Mutualism Mutualism is an interaction between species in which both partners benefit. It can be obligatory or facultative and may involve direct exchange or indirect effects.
Pollination : The transfer of pollen from an anther to a receptive stigma, enabling fertilization in seed plants. Pollinators gain food while plants gain pollen transfer.
Symbiosis : A close, sustained association between organisms of different species. Mutualism is one possible outcome of a symbiotic association.
Acacia–ant mutualism : An association in which some acacia trees provide ants with food and shelter, and ants defend the trees. The exchange links plant resources to ant protection against herbivores.
Commensalism : An interaction between species in which one benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed. Unlike mutualism, commensalism has no net benefit to one partner.
Seed dispersal : The movement of seeds away from the parent plant by animals, wind, water, or other agents. Animals often gain food by carrying seeds that benefit plants when deposited elsewhere.
Species interaction : An ecological relationship in which one species affects another species’ survival or reproduction. Mutualism is classified by the effects each partner experiences.
Coral–zooxanthellae symbiosis : An association between reef-building corals and photosynthetic dinoflagellates living in their tissues. Algal photosynthesis supplies corals with energy-rich compounds, while corals provide shelter and nutrients.
Parasitism : An interaction in which a parasite benefits by living on or in a host, which is harmed. It reverses mutualism’s shared benefit into benefit for one partner and harm to the other.
Mycorrhiza : A symbiotic association between a fungus and a plant root, often involving nutrient exchange. Fungi supply mineral nutrients while plants provide sugars.
Fitness (biology) : An organism’s contribution to future generations, often measured through survival and reproductive success. A partner benefits when the interaction raises its fitness.
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