Mutualism (Noun)
Meaning
The relation between two different species of organisms that are interdependent; each gains benefits from the other.
Classification
Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas.
Examples
- The coral and the zooxanthellae have a mutualism in which the coral provides the zooxanthellae with a safe environment and the zooxanthellae produce nutrients for the coral through photosynthesis.
- The relationship between clownfish and sea anemones is an example of mutualism, where the clownfish receives protection from predators and the sea anemone receives cleaning and aeration from the fish.
- In the mutualism between bees and flowers, the bees receive nectar and pollen, while the flowers receive pollination services.
- The oxpeckers and rhinoceroses have a mutualism in which the oxpeckers eat ticks and other parasites that live on the rhinoceros's skin, providing a cleaning service to the rhinoceros.
- The relationship between fungi and the roots of certain plants is an example of mutualism, where the fungi help to break down nutrients in the soil and the plants provide the fungi with carbohydrates produced during photosynthesis.