Parasitism (Noun)
Meaning
The relation between two different kinds of organisms in which one receives benefits from the other by causing damage to it (usually not fatal damage).
Classification
Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas.
Examples
- The ticks attached to the deer's body exemplified a typical case of parasitism, where the ticks benefited from the deer's blood while weakening the deer's immune system.
- In the natural world, there are many instances of parasitism where one organism depends on another for survival and causes harm to the host in the process.
- The tapeworm's reliance on the host organism for nutrients is a classic example of parasitism, as the tapeworm absorbs vital nutrients from the host's digestive system.
- This type of parasitism, where the parasite manipulates the host's behavior to its own advantage, is a relatively rare and intriguing phenomenon observed in certain species of wasps and ants.
- Parasitism can also be seen in some birds that lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species, thus passing on the responsibility of incubation and parental care to the unsuspecting host.