Ecology Symbioses + Sociality

Coevolution

The process by which two or more species reciprocally influence each others evolution through interactions like prediction, competition, or mutation.

Mutualism

A type of symbiosis where both species benefit from the interaction, such as bees pollinating flowers while collecting nectar

Commensalism

A symbiotic relationship where one species benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed, like birds nesting in trees.

Parasitism

A symbolic relationship where one species benefits at the expense of the other, often causing harm but not immediate death, like ticks feeding on animals.

Why do mutualisms exist?

1. Fitness

2. Organism ability to survive, reproduce, and pass genes on

3. The more successful an organism is at reproducing and surviving increases its fitness.

Parasitoidism

A relationship in which a parasitoid lays its eggs on or inside a host and the developing larvae eventually kill the host, as seen with certain wasps and caterpillars

Phoresy

A form of commensalism where one organism uses another’s fro transportation, such as remoras on sharks

Obligate mutualisms

A mutualistic relationship where both species are entirely dependent on each other for survival

Facultative mutualisms

A mutualistic relationship where both species benefit but are not dependent on each other for survival.

Cooperation

A behavior where individuals of the same or different species work together for a common benefit, such as hunting in packs or sharing resources

Altruism

A behavior in which an individual sacrifices its own fitness to help others, often relatives, as seen when animals warn their groups of predators at their own risk

Eusociality

A complex social organization found in species like ants and bees, characterized by cooperative brood care, overlapping generations and division of labor into reproductive and non reproductive groups

Kin selection

A form of natural selection that favors altruistic behavior toward relatives, increasing the indirect fitness of the altruist by helping relatives pass on shared genes.

Prediction

Cooperation and altruism should be highest among close relatives