Competition
Competition is an interaction between organisms or species, where the fitness of one organism is lowered by the presence of another. Limited supply of at least one resource (such as food, water, and territory) is usually the cause for competition. An example of competition would be two lions fighting over a dead zebra.
Predation
Predation is an interaction between species where one species uses another species as food. Predation is of major importance in influencing the distribution, abundance, and diversity of species in ecological communities. An example of predation would be the same lion, used in the example above, hunting the zebra.
Symbiosis: Mutualism, Parasitism, and Commensalism
Symbiosis is a close ecological relationship between the individuals of two (or more) different species. Sometimes a symbiotic relationship benefits both species (mutualism), sometimes one species benefits at the other's expense (parasitism), and in other cases one species benefits while the other is not affected. (commensalism)
Mutualism is the way two organisms of different species exist in a relationship where each individual benefits. Similar interactions within a species are known as co-operation.
Picture:http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=mutualism&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&d
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Parasitism is a non-mutual relationship between organisms of different species where one organism, the parasite,
benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Picture: http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&sour ce=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=v FcDsgJMojMemM&tbnid=1Puf0uO O9E1d6M:&ved=0CAQQjB0&url=htt p%3A%2F%2Fconsciouslifenews.com%2Fbill-gates-finances-genetically-modified-mosquitoes-against-dengue%2F112785%2F&ei=-pFPUfuwK4Kk9ATM14CgDQ&bv m=bv.44158598,d.eWU&psig=AFQ jCNH7aOoraGs0DWjMIOkby_7ofu6e Ng&ust=1364255523484112 |
Commensalism is a class of relationship between two organisms where one organism benefits without affecting the other.
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