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Table of Contents
Mutualism is the interaction of individuals from different species that have a positive (beneficial) influence on the interacting populations’ per capita reproduction and survival. It is widely acknowledged as being essential to the patterns and processes that occur within ecological systems.
See the fact file below for more information on Mutualism, or you can download our 30-page Mutualism worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
HISTORICAL STUDY
- Observations that can be linked to mutualism stretch back many centuries to natural history descriptions of species interactions by Herodotus, Aristotle, Cicero, Pliny, and others, but the term “mutualism” first appeared in Pierre van Beneden 1876 book Les Commensaux et Les Parasites. Beneden stated, “There is mutual help in many species, with services being rewarded with good behavior or in kind.”
- Charles Darwin is one of the first to pay significant attention to mutualism, particularly pollination. Mutualistic interactions, according to Darwin, posed a severe challenge to his theory: individual animals would not be expected to give services or rewards only for the benefit of those of another species because such features could not have evolved through natural selection.
- Mutualism was not conceptually investigated until the mid-1930s. Mutualism was either unstable, resulting in an unbounded population increase, or stable, resulting in a fragile interaction with minimal effect on the dynamics of mutualistic populations.
- The study of mutualism expanded significantly in the 1980s. Mutualism is not necessarily unstable, according to biologically realistic theory. The main takeaway from these models is that for mutualism to be stable, some elements must restrict the positive feedback of the interaction on a population’s growth rate.
BENEFITS AND COST OF MUTUALISM
- Each species engaged in mutualism should benefit from the interaction, which generally comes at a cost. However, mutualist partners may not always obtain equal advantages or bear equivalent costs.
- While each partner’s behaviors assist the other species in a certain manner, neither species acts altruistically. Instead, each species pursues its selfish interests, and any benefit gained by the mutualist partner is an unexpected consequence of the interaction.
- Transportation refers to the movement of one’s gametes, such as pollen dissemination by pollinators or seed dispersal by frugivores (an animal that survives mostly on raw fruits). Protection benefits include defending, or sheltering a mutualist from natural threats (e.g., predators, herbivores, parasites, parasitoids) or the abiotic environment. Nutritional resources may also be offered as a benefit, ranging from nutrient and carbon exchange in plant/mycorrhizal relationships to food molecules.
- Mutualistic interactions have just lately been acknowledged to have costs. Mutualism costs develop due to the provision of resources and services to partners(s). Prices include investments in structures and substances to reward mutualists (for example, nectar) and the energy and time spent on acquiring the benefits.
- Examples of mutualism stating the types of species/partners, benefits, and costs:
SYMBIOTIC AND NON-SYMBIOTIC
- Symbiotic mutualism refers to a mutually beneficial interaction between organisms of different species. It is a symbiotic interaction in which two distinct species interact and, in some circumstances, rely entirely on one another for existence. Most symbiotic mutualisms involve exchanging energy from one species to another, whether autotroph or heterotroph. A variety of advantages may be supplied in return for (a) compound breakdown and facilitating digestion, (b) supply or nutrient concentration, (c) environmental stability, and (d) bioluminescence.
- Non-symbiotic mutualism is a sort of interaction in which organisms from different species work in close proximity but do not negatively or positively impact one another. For example, robins and squirrels enjoy the same tree, and neither provides food for the other or interacts directly.
FIVE MAIN TYPES OF MUTUALISM
- Obligate mutualism refers to a mutualist connection that has developed to the point where the two species are completely dependent on each other. In this setting, none of the partners can live independently.
- Some non-symbiotic mutualisms, such as those developed by fungus-farming ants, are also obligate in that neither the ant nor the fungus can exist without the other. Some of the greatest instances of coevolution are seen in obligate mutualism.
- In facultative mutualism, partners can coexist without relying on one another. On the other hand, they develop a diffuse relationship involving a diverse range of species (e.g., honeybees and plants).
- In trophic mutualism, partners specialize in complementary ways to gain nutrients and energy from each other—for example, cows and bacteria. Cows are unable to digest the plant’s cellulose. The bacteria found in cows assist in the digestion of plant cellulose. In reverse, bacteria receive food and a warm environment, both of which are necessary for their development and growth.
- In dispersive mutualism, species involved assist in the movement of pollen grains from one flower to another in exchange for nectar or assist in the dispersal of seeds to suitable habitats in return for nourishing fruits that contain the seed.
- Defensive mutualism involves species in which one mutualistic partner obtains food or shelter in exchange for providing defense against herbivores, predators, or parasites to its mutualistic partner.
MUTUALISTIC RELATIONSHIP OF HUMANS
- Humans interact through mutualisms with other species, that gut flora is essential for proper digestion. Infestations of head lice may have been helpful to humans by stimulating an immune response that helps to lessen the threat of body louse-borne lethal infections.
- Some mutualistic relationships exist between humans, domestic animals, and plants. Agricultural varieties of maize (corn), for example, offer food for people but are unable to reproduce naturally because the leafy sheath does not fall open, and the seed head (the “corn on the cob”) does not shatter to distribute the seeds organically. Insect pollinators contribute nearly one-third of the food we eat.
- Humans use the oxygen produced by plants and exhale carbon dioxide. Plants use carbon dioxide to produce the oxygen that humans need.
EXAMPLES OF MUTUALISM
- Aphids and Ants – Several aphid species have been found to form mutualistic relationships with ants, who feed on honeydew by ‘milking’ the aphids with their antennas. In exchange, certain ant species protect the aphids from parasites and predators.
- Coral and Zooxanthellae Algae – The vibrant colors of reef-building corals are obtained from the zooxanthellae algae with which they have a mutualistic relationship. Coral begins as a tiny free-swimming larva that eventually attaches to a firm surface and metamorphoses into a polyp. Corals absorb zooxanthellae from their surroundings as they develop. The coral offers shelter and nutrition for the zooxanthellae to utilize during photosynthesis. In contrast, the zooxanthellae create synthesized sugars that the coral feeds on and oxygen as a byproduct.
- Spider Crab and Algae – Spider crabs live in shallow parts of the ocean floor, and greenish-brown algae grow on their backs, blending them in with their surroundings and making them unnoticeable to predators. The algae obtain a safe refuge, and the crab receives camouflage.
- Oxpeckers and Large Mammals – Ticks and blood-sucking flies are among the parasites picked at by the birds on a mammal’s body. This helps keep the mammal’s parasite load under control while also providing an easy meal for the birds. Like a variety of other species, Oxpeckers will sound the alarm and warn their hosts of approaching danger. People have seen that the birds will assist hosts like rhinos (who are almost blind) in avoiding people.
Mutualism Worksheets
This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Mutualism across 30 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Mutualism, the interaction of different species resulting in a positive influence on the interacting populations.
Download includes the following worksheets
- Mutualism Facts
- Is It Mutualistic?
- Tell Me What
- Describing Words
- Go Back In Time
- Search and Tell
- Same But Not
- Cost and Benefit
- Smart and Hardworking
- Story to Tell
- Six Thinking Hats
Frequently Asked Questions
What is mutualism?
Mutualism is a type of relationship between living things where both species benefit from their interaction with each other. This can happen in many different ways, such as one species protecting the other, or one species providing food for the other.
What is an example of mutualism?
A well-known example of mutualism is the relationship between bees and flowers. The bees collect nectar from the flowers to make honey and in the process, pollen from the flowers sticks to the bees. When the bees visit other flowers, some of the pollen rubs off, fertilizing the new flowers and allowing them to produce seeds. So the bees get food and the flowers get pollinated.
Are there different types of mutualism?
Yes, there are different types of mutualism. Mutualism can happen between different types of organisms, such as plants and animals, or between different species of the same type of organism, such as different types of bacteria.
Is mutualism always beneficial for both species?
In most cases, mutualism is beneficial for both species. However, there are some cases where the relationship can become unbalanced, and one species may start to harm the other. This is not mutualism and it is called parasitism.
How is mutualism different from symbiosis?
Mutualism and symbiosis are similar terms, they describe relationships between different organisms, but symbiosis is a more general term that includes mutualism, commensalism and parasitism, which are different types of relationships. Mutualism is a specific type of symbiosis where both species benefit from their interaction with each other.
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Link will appear as Mutualism Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 13, 2023
Use With Any Curriculum
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