HOW DO LIVING THINGS SURVIVE TOGETHER?

All living things are linked in complicated food. Webs, relying on each other for nourishment, but some animals and plants have very special relationships, where a partnership may benefit one partner or both.

Relationships are an important component of life. In such relationships, plants or animals of different species may be dependent on one another for survival. They may share habitats or lifestyles or interact in a specific way to benefit from the presence of another organism.

We often refer to animals living in tandem as ‘associates.” The relationship between associates and their hosts can be described as mutualistic, commensal, or parasitic. In a mutualistic relationship, both animals benefit from living together. Commensal organisms cause no harm to their hosts, but receive some benefit from living with them. Parasites actually feed off their host organism, thus causing harm to the host.

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