Huge species diversity in nature gives rise to a variety of types of relationships between organisms. Living creatures cannot avoid the negative impact of living near species. At the same time, the course of evolution has contributed to the formation of diverse adaptations of living organisms to the environment. Under the environment is meant not only the world of inanimate nature, but also all nearby living organisms.
Jaundice as a form of commensalism
One type of interaction between organisms is commensalism. Under commensalism, one organism benefits from another, while the second species does not suffer from the first.
There are at least three types of commensalism:
1. Sowing.
2. Hijacking.
3. Cohabitation.
Jaundice in biology
There are many examples of this type of commensalism. However, they should be distinguished from manifestations of parasitism. The very word "commensalism" comes from Latin and translates as "together at the table." This description of the concept best describes the process of absenteeism. Because it is with him that different types of organisms feed side by side, as if at the same table.
With parasite, one species of organisms waits until another one eats, only then begins to feed on the same resource.
Cohabitation is characterized by a common place of residence. In this case, one organism lives in the shelter of another.
Examples of work in nature
What is cohabitation? This is the process of obtaining food by different types of organisms from a common resource. Examples of absenteeism prove the complete lack of competition in this type of relationship. The fact is that such species eat different parts of the resource or consume different substances from one part of the edible object.
A good example of co-work in nature is the relationship of bacteria and higher plants. Many types of bacteria feed on rotting vegetation. It is such saprophyte bacteria that completely decompose inanimate plant matter to a mineral substance. Higher plants, as you know, need ready-made mineral salts for nutrition. All higher plants can grow only on those parts of the earth's surface where saprophyte bacteria function.
Legumes and cereals
Another example of honeycomb in the plant world is the commensalism of legumes and cereals. Plants of the cereal family need a certain amount of nitrogen for normal growth and development. The atmosphere contains a huge amount of this element, but cereals are not able to absorb it from the air. Plants of the legume family fix nitrogen on their roots. Cereals use an element ready for assimilation. The photo shows the nodules of legumes.
Thus, legumes and cereals should be "at the same table" for full development. However, if legumes become abundant, then competition arises among commensals. Legumes begin to obscure and displace cereals.
Adult insect and caterpillar
There are a huge number of examples of animal cohabitation. They are based on the fact that different species or stages of development of animals feed on one plant, but prefer different parts of it. So, if a bee or a dipteran insect prefers nectar, then the caterpillar eats the leaves of the same nectaronos.
Biotopes of various types of warblers
Birds tend to live in certain areas of the territory, as well as at a certain height (tiers) of the forest. The genus of warblers that live in central Russia includes the following species: gray warbler , garden, hawk, curler, black-headed. While the hawk warbler seeks food on the ground and in the lower tier of the forest, the black-headed and curler feed on top of the tree crowns. The gray warbler prefers the second and third tiers of the forest, that is, the middle part of the crown of tree species.
From neutralism to mutualism
According to evolutionary scientists, cohabitation is a transitional link from neutralism to mutualism (obligate coexistence). An example of the legume and cereal restraining proves this position of scientists. Higher plants for many years of evolution have not adapted to independently absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere. Ready for assimilation of this chemical element they provide legumes. But legumes themselves are also not able to fix nitrogen on their own. This work is done for them by nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live on the roots.
Thus, the procession of cereals and legumes, as well as the procession of legumes and nitrogen-fixing microorganisms, is close to obligate relations. Because nitrogen is one of the main chemical elements of plants, especially legumes. And its content in the soil is extremely small.
Examples of absenteeism prove the existence of harmony in the biosphere. During evolution, individual species adapted to specific environmental conditions, which led to the integrity of the wildlife system.