Types of Realtionships
- Mutualism - both species benefits + +
- Parasitism - one species benefits the other is harmed + -
- Commensalism - one species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor benefited + 0
Mountain Lions and Gut Flora
The mountain lion is protected from harmful bacteria and gets a good stomach clean while the gut flora gets fed. This is a mutual relationship. + +
Mountain Pine Beetle and Trees
The beetles can infest a tree and cause pitch tubes in the trees bark. You can also see boring sawdust on the ground around the tree. They use this pitches to lay eggs and have a place to hide from predators. But the healthy trees have a defense system where they release pitch so the beetles will leave. This is doing nothing to help the tree, it is only killing trees of high value. This is a parasitic relationship. + -
Mountain Goat and Microorganisms
The mountain goat eats plants. Cellulose is present in a lot of green plants, these microorganisms will turn the cellulose into carbohydrates. In turn the mountain goats gives them food and shelter. This is a mutual relationship. + +