No living being is capable of living in isolation, that is, without relating to any organism. They always establish relationships, whether with beings of the same species or with different species. These relationships can be beneficial to the organisms, not causing any loss or gain, or even causing damage to one of the parties involved.
What are ecological relationships?
→ ecological relationships they are interactions between living beings in a community. Relationships can occur between individuals from the same population or between individuals from different populations, promoting a connection between different species.
What are intraspecific and interspecific relationships?
Depending on the individuals involved in an ecological relationship, we can classify it into intraspecific or interspecific. In the intraspecific relationships, interactions occur between organisms of the same species, as can be seen in the bee society. In the interspecific relationships, in turn, interactions occur between individuals of different species, as can be seen in the cases of commensalism and mutualism.
Mind Map: Ecological Relations
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What are harmonic and disharmonious relationships?
The relationships can be classified, according to the advantages and disadvantages resulting from the interaction, in harmonic or positive and inharmonic or negative. In the harmonic or positive relationships, it is observed that all the organisms involved are benefited or only one of them obtains an advantage, but without harming the other. This is the case, for example, of commensalism, in which organisms of different species interact and only one is benefited, without harming the other.
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In the inharmonious or negative relationships, one of those involved suffers losses from this interaction, with only one benefiting. As an example of this type of ecological relationship, we can mention predatism, in which one organism serves as food for another. In that case, an organism is clearly harmed.
What are the main ecological relationships?
Living beings establish different ecological relationships. See the main ones:
It is noteworthy that ecological relationships may vary according to the author studied, requiring, therefore, attention. O tenancy, for example, is an association established between different species in which one serves as a shelter or support for another. This association can be observed between trees and orchids that establish themselves on their trunks. Some authors do not see tenancy as a differentiated relationship, being considered by them as a type of commensalism.
Mutualism is also an ecological relationship that may differ in definition from one author to another. While many consider that interaction in mutualism is always mandatory, some classify it as mandatory or optional. Optional mutualism appears as a replacement for the relationship previously known as protocooperation.
By Ma. Vanessa dos Santos
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SANTOS, Vanessa Sardinha dos. "What are ecological relationships?"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/o-que-e/biologia/o-que-sao-relacoes-ecologicas.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
