This means clownfish can safely nestle into the anemone's tentacles to hide from predators. In return, clownfish help the anemone in multiple ways. They keep the anemones free of parasites and provide them with nutrients through their faeces, which may also stimulate the growth-beneficial symbiotic algae within the anemone. Clownfish may also drop food onto the anemone and also drive off anemone-eating intruders that stray too close. It's also thought that the movement of clownfish helps to circulate the water, and in turn helps to oxygenate the anemone.
It's possible that the bright colours of clownfish also helps to lure meals of small animals to within reach of the anemone. Anemones that harbour clownfish appear to have faster growth rates, higher rates of asexual reproduction and lower mortality than those without fish.
The eggs, larvae and beeswax contained in bee nests are a key food source for greater honeyguides Indicator indicator. One of the ways these birds gain easy access to a nutritious meal is by leading other honey-coveting species to the nest and allowing them to do the hard work of breaking into it.
The human-honeyguide relationship is the best-documented of these partnerships. The wild honeyguides recruit people with a demanding call, indicating that they have found a bee nest. The honey-hunting humans reply with calls passed down through generations and follow the bird. When they reach the nest, the humans subdue the bees, such as with smoke, break into the nest and help themselves to the sugar-rich honey contained within. The Hadza people of Tanzania are one group known to work with honeyguides.
With the bees dispatched and the humans satisfied, the honeyguides are left to dine on the beeswax, eggs and larvae left behind. When the sun sets on North America's Sonoran Desert, the night-blooming flowers of senita cacti Lophocereus schottii are visited by tiny senita moths Upiga virescens. The female moths collect pollen on specialised abdominal scales and transfer it from flower to flower, pollinating cacti as she goes. The rest is attributed to other insects that are active during the day.
During her visits, the female moth will lay one egg on a flower petal. When the flower closes and the larva hatches, it will bore into the top of the developing fruit, spending about six days feeding on the seeds and fruit tissue. There are several similar mutualistic relationships, such as yuccas and yucca moths, figs and fig wasps, and Phyllanthaceae and Epicephala moths.
Senita moths differ from these in that although the relationship is highly specialised, they are not the sole pollinator of their host plant, yet their relationship with the cactus clearly plays an important role in the cactus's survival.
Discover where the real world and the Wizarding World intertwine, and how the wonders of the natural world have inspired myths, legends and magical creatures for generations. Deep in the ocean a species of worm is living life on the edge, making its home inside an animal that could eat it. The air isn't just for insects, bats ora birds - there are a few other animals that can take to the skies.
Coral reefs attract deadly predators. Find out how their inhabitants survive using everything from camouflage to chemical warfare. Entertainment Inc. Get email updates about our news, science, exhibitions, events, products, services and fundraising activities. You must be over the age of There are three different types of symbiotic relationships in the animal kingdom: mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. Think about other relationships you see in your local ecosystem.
Bees are pollinators; they help flowers reproduce with pollination, and in turn they get food. History Government U. Cities U. Updated April 2, By Arden Dore. How different species get along Imagine life without your best friend. Mutualism: both partners benefit. An example of a mutualistic relationship between the Egyptian plover and the crocodile.
In the tropical regions of Africa, the crocodile lies with its mouth open. National Geographic Society. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service.
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Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives. Biodiversity refers to the variety of organisms found in a particular habitat. It is important to maintain biodiversity because we rely on it for ecosystem services, which fall into four main categories: provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting.
The earth provides these to us for free and they are critical to achieving a planet in balance. Use these resources to explore the diverse species that exist across the globe, and encourage your students to become good stewards of life on earth.
Corals are fascinating animals that form reefs. Learn the risks our world's coral reefs are facing and what they mean for our future and the future of the ocean. The biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef is threatened.
Scientists are working to find ways to protect it. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. Skip to content. Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. Some foods cannot be digested entirely; so, when these foods are consumed, the bacteria in the digestive system feed on those foods. The sea anemones are saved by the clownfish from being eaten by their predators, the butterfly fish.
All rights reserved. Common Examples of Mutualism Oxpeckers and zebras or rhinos - In this relationship, the oxpecker a bird lives on the zebra or rhino, sustaining itself by eating all of the bugs and parasites on the animal. The bird benefits by having a readily available source of food.
The bacteria stay alive. The human gets help with the process of digestion. Protozoa and termites - Much like the digestive bacteria in human digestive systems, protozoa help termites to digest the food that they eat.
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