At first glance, it may seem that in nature, each species lives in isolation. But actually it is not so at all. All living organisms are in close interaction between themselves and the elements of inanimate nature. Commensalism is a type of such relationship. We will consider its main characteristics in our article.
Ecological interactions of organisms
Most often, biotic relationships are manifested in trophic and spatial relationships. Least of all are they neutral. This is because even indirectly, but the organisms influence each other. Symbiosis, commensalism is an example of mutually beneficial and useful ties. And predation, parasitism and competition are relationships in which species are more or less oppressed. Let's consider each of them in more detail.
Amensalism
Under conifers, grassy plants often grow. What is the nature of the interaction between them? As the crown grows, photophilous herbs begin to suffer from shading. The tree itself does not experience any influence. This is an example of amenismism.
Commensalism is ...
Translated from Latin, this concept means "meal together." Commensalism is very common in nature. It manifests itself in the form of unilateral use of one species by another without harming it. for example, burdock fruits cling to the dog’s coat. On the one hand, it is an effective way to distribute seeds. The other participant does not experience any impact.
Mutualism, commensalism, parasitism: features of distinction
These concepts are often confused. It is worth remembering, mutualism is manifested in mutually beneficial cohabitation of organisms of different species. And with commensalism, only one species benefits. For example, only bumblebees pollinate clover. These species cannot exist without each other.
The same can be said about hermit crab and anemone coral polyp. They are truly inseparable. Like all representatives of the enteric cavity type, anemone has stinging cells. Therefore, cancer uses a polyp as a defense. Actinia itself feeds on the organics that the animal produces. Scientists argue that such relationships have arisen over millions of years. If these organisms are artificially separated, they will simply die in a couple of months.
Unlike commensalism, parasitism manifests itself in the oppression of one species by another. So, helminths live off the nutrients of the host organism. It can be an animal or a person. On the trunk of willows and birches, you can often see another parasite. It is called a fungus-tinder fungus. His hyphae penetrate deeply into the elements of the plant’s conductive tissue. So the fungus provides itself with nutrients and water.
Hijacking
There are several types of commensalism. These include parasitism, absenteeism and lodging. The first type is manifested in the consumption by one type of food residues of the other - the owner. A striking example of parasite is the trophic relationship of Arctic foxes that follow polar bears.
Honeycomb
Commensalism, the examples of which we are considering, can also manifest itself in the consumption by organisms of different parts of one product. This is the restraint. Different types of soil saprophytic bacteria process only certain organic substances.
Lodging
Commensalism is a type of interaction that also manifests itself in spatial relationships. Very often in nature, some organisms use others as shelters. This is lodging.
In this case, one species benefits, while the other does not experience harm. So, mustard fish lays eggs in the mantle of bivalve mollusks. What is the nature of this connection? This does not affect the life of the mollusk, and caviar is reliably protected from lovers of feasting on it.
Here are a few more examples of lodging. The home for many plants is the powerful branches and trunks of trees. These include creepers, mosses, lichens, orchids. Tentacles of jellyfish - a reliable shelter for small fish. And in the nests of rodents lizards are often found.
Symbiosis
This type of relationship is mutually beneficial and inseparable. Symbiosis involves close, mandatory cohabitation of organisms of various species. His classic example is lichens. This is a combination of mushrooms and blue - green algae. The first with the help of hyphae absorb water from the soil with a solution of mineral substances. Algae cells carry out the process of photosynthesis, therefore, are a source of glucose. They provide mushrooms with this organic substance. This structure allows lichens to survive in the most difficult conditions. They settle on rocks, frozen soil, on the bark of trees.
In the intestines of termites live the protozoa of the flagellum detachment. They are able to isolate the types of enzymes that catalyze the decomposition of fiber into monosaccharides. Termites themselves are not capable of this. Therefore, the digestion process in them is possible only in symbiosis with flagella. In turn, protozoa of this species never live in nature freely. Therefore, the intestines of termites is a reliable refuge for them.
So, in nature there are several types of environmental interactions. They can be neutral, mutually beneficial or harmful. Commensalism is an example of a connection in which one species benefits and the other does not suffer harm. Such a relationship is manifested in the form of parasitism, absenteeism or lodging. Commensalism is an example of useful-neutral relationships of organisms of different species in living nature.