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Competition for survival is one of the most characteristic phenomena of natural ecosystems. Relations of predation and mutualism constantly exist between individuals of different species in each and every one of the planet's ecosystems. The race for survival never stops.
In this context, ecologists have discovered how organisms create biodiversity networks that follow common patterns in terms of their mode of interaction to ensure their survival. Within these complex and surprising networks of biological relationships, mutualism stands out as one of the most abundant. Continue reading this interesting Green Ecologist article to learn about the definition of mutualism and examples.
What is mutualism
The definition of mutualism It is described within studies focused on ecological relationships or biological interactions between different species, being described as that positive interaction for both parties or species that interact. That is, mutualism is based on relationships of mutual benefit, sometimes simplified with the symbols (+, +).
Said mutualism interactions are based on highly heterogeneous mutualistic networks, since the vast majority of species that make up ecosystems frequently interact with other species, thus establishing wide-ranging connections between species, even more numerous connections than would be expected if were given in a haphazard way.
In the next sections we will see the types of mutualism that exist, as well as several examples of mutualistic interactions that occur in natural ecological systems, to better understand this type of interspecific relationship. We also recommend that you take a look at this other post by Green Ecologist about Interspecific Relationships: types and examples.
Types of mutualism
As we have seen in the previous section, the mutualistic relationships they occur between sets of species that interact with each other. These relationships have a certain asymmetry and vulnerability depending on the generalist or specialist species when participating in mutualism. Based on this, they are distinguished two types of mutualism fundamental:
- Facultative mutualism: the species that interact are more general and do not depend exclusively on these interactions for their survival.
- Obligatory mutualism: Species necessarily need to interact in order to survive, and they are also highly specialized species, that is, they base their mutualism interactions on very specific species on which they depend.
Examples of mutualism
Among the groups of living beings that frequently use mutualism relationships as a survival strategy, plants stand out. These organisms need to have stable connections with other living beings that allow them, for example, to guarantee their pollination and seed dispersal processes for their correct reproduction and subsequent survival. Let's see in the following list some concrete examples of mutual relations that occur often in nature:
- Mutualistic relationships between plants and frugivorous and nectarivorous birds (such as toucans and hummingbirds), which facilitate pollination and seed dispersal.
- Mammals, mainly herbivores and omnivores, which ingest plant fruits and create relationships of mutualism by later dispersing the seeds that were inside the fruit in their excrement.
- Mutualistic interactions between the flowers of plants and their pollinators, the vast majority, pollinating insects.
- Systems of mutualism between ants and plants, in which the plants provide food and shelter for the ants and they defend them from possible herbivorous predators, such as the curious case of the ants that live in the acacias of the savannas, which attack giraffes. and other herbivorous animals that feed on the few acacia leaves.
Difference between mutualism and symbiosis
As we have seen throughout the article, in mutualism, both species involved in the interaction make a profit. To obtain this, most of the species that interact with each other are capable of surviving regardless of whether or not such mutualism occurs. However, there are some species in which they occur extreme obligate mutualisms in which the participating species depend on each other to survive. In the latter case, we would talk about symbiosis, as a concrete case of forced mutualism taken to its maximum extreme of dependency between species to survive.
This is the striking case of lichens, made up of algae and fungi of specific species that, during symbiosis, achieve the energy necessary for their survival by "sharing" the biological functions that both organisms need. Here you can learn more about what symbiosis is with examples.
What is the difference between mutualism and commensalism
Within the interspecific relationships that occur in nature, mutualism and commensalism they are the most abundant. On the one hand, there are many species that choose mutualism (+, +) to obtain benefits on both sides, while in other cases, commensalism (+, 0) it allows one species to benefit while the other does not get any kind of repercussion, either positive or negative.
To better understand the difference between both types of biological interactions, let's think, for example, in the aforementioned case of plant pollination, where the pollinator obtains food and the plant guarantees its reproduction (+, +), which is mutualism. . On the other hand, when birds build their nests in trees and shrubs, there are commensal relationships in which the birds obtain shelter (+) but the trees do not obtain any benefit or harm (0), in terms of ecological relationships.
In this other article you can see more about What is commensalism: definition and examples.
If you want to read more articles similar to Mutualism: definition and examples, we recommend that you enter our Biology category.
Bibliography- Rico-Gray, V. (2000) Ecological interactions and their relationship with the conservation of biodiversity. Journal of Biodiversity Notebooks, Institute of Ecology, Veracruz (Mexico), pp: 3-6.
- Bascompte, J. & Jordano, P. (2008) Species mutualistic networks. Research and Science Magazine, Volume September 2008, pp: 50-62.
- Badii, M. H. et al., (2013) Coevolution and Mutualism: Conceptual Notions. Daena: International Journal of Good Conscience, Volume 8 (1), pp: 23-31.
