Animal Relationships By: Justin Barber

Forest

Mutualism: A relationship in which both organisms benefit.Ex: Mycorrhizal Fungi and Conifer Trees. The fungi helps the tree

roots with absorbing water and minerals; The tree provides the fungi with the food that it makes.

Parasitism: When one organism benefits and the other is harmed.Ex: The Sycamore Lace bug. They attach to the leaves of the

sycamores to suck out the juices. Commensalism: When one organism benefit and the other is unharmed.

Ex: Birds use trees as a form of shelter. Scavenger: An organism that eats dead animals.

Ex: Worms feed off of other dead organisms. Predator/Prey: When one organism hunts while the other is hunted.

Ex: An owl catching a mouse. Decomposer: An organism that helps break down dead organisms.

Ex: Most worms can help with the decomposing of certain animals.

Competition: When two or more organisms fight for the same thing.Ex: Trees can compete over nutrients, sunlight, and space.

Rain Forest

Mutualism: Ants defend and nurture ant-fungus while the fungi provides the ant with food.

Parasitism: Strangler figs grow on the branches of trees and eventually sprout roots which, over time, kill the host tree.

Commensalism: Frogs get water and shelter from vermiliads that grow on trees. The vermiliads are unaffected.

Scavenger: Army ants. Predator/Prey: A green anaconda and a Capybara. Decomposer: Fungi and bacteria. Competition: Monkeys compete to be in the tree with the

most fruits in it.

Tundra

Mutualism: Algae and lichen growing on rocks. The algae provides sugars for the lichen while the lichen provides

a solid substrate for the algae to thrive on. Parasitism: A tick on a deer. Commensalism: The barren ground caribou and the arctic

fox. The fox follows the caribou who removes the snow covering to get at lichens under the soil. The fox then hunts the subnivean mammals that have been

unearthed by the caribou. Scavenger: The arctic fox. Predator/Prey: Killer whale and seals. Decomposer: Tundra soils have bacteria and fungi that are

decomposers. Competition: Otters and Beavers compete for space and food.

Salt Water

Mutualism: Remoras on a shark. These small fish feed off of the parasites that are underneath the shark. The sharks gets a much cleaner and healthier exterior.

Parasitism: A whale eating krill. Commensalism: A sea anemone and a clown fish. Scavenger: A Coral Catfish. Predator/Prey: Sand fish and flounder. Decomposer: Gastropod mollusks. Competition: Like trees, corals depend on light. They each

compete to get the most to survive.

Fresh Water

Mutualism: Algae and freshwater hydroids. Parasitism: Leeches Commensalism: Protozoans living on chironomids and

mayfly larvae Scavenger: Predator/Prey: Decomposer: Competition:

Desert

Mutualism: Parasitism: Commensalism: Scavenger: Predator/Prey: Decomposer: Competition: