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What is a symbiotic relationship?
A symbiotic relationship is a long-term interaction between two species. Did you know lichens are two species in a symbiotic relationship? A lichen is a fungi and an algae or bacteria living together. This is just one of many examples of a symbiotic relationship! Symbiotic relationships typically benefit at least one of the two species involved. Symbiosis is a common topic covered when teaching students about ecology.
Before we dive in: If you’re an educator planning to teach symbiotic relationships, great activities are key to deepening understanding! I think you and your students will love my Symbiotic Relationships Mini Study, which you can also find within my complete Forest Ecology Unit (plus you’ll support my blog with your purchase! ❤️)
Mutualism
Mutualism is a type of symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit. An example of mutualism is a squirrel eating nuts or fruit from a tree, and then dispersing the tree’s seeds in its scat. The squirrel benefits because it receives food, and the tree benefits because its seeds are spread and can grow into more trees.
Examples of Mutualism:
- A bee drinks nectar from flowers, while spreading pollen from plant to plant.
- A squirrel eats the nuts of a tree and disperses the seeds in its scat.
- Bacteria and fungi live in a songbird’s intestines. The bacteria break down and eat parts of food that are difficult for the songbird to digest.
- Algae and fungi live together as a lichen. The algae produces food through photosynthesis, and the fungi provide a thick, protective layer.
Parasitism
Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and the other species is harmed. An example of parasitism is a group of insects invading a tree. The insects benefit because they live in and feed on the tree, but the tree is harmed because its important tissues are getting eaten and destroyed.
Examples of Parasitism:
- A group of insect larvae eats most of the leaves of a tree, which harms the tree’s ability to make its food through photosynthesis.
- Beetles cut off a tree’s circulation by feeding on the tree’s phloem, a tree part that moves sugars made during photosynthesis.
- Ticks drink the blood of a rabbit and pass diseases to the rabbit.
- A worm lives in the intestine of a deer, consuming some of the food the deer eats and causing the deer to not get enough nutrients.
Commensalism
Commensalism is a type of symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and the other species is not affected. An example of commensalism is a bird living in a tree. The bird benefits because it gets a safe place to live. The bird neither helps nor harms the tree.
Examples of Commensalism:
- A bird builds a nest in a tree, providing the bird with a safe home, and neither harming nor helping the tree.
- A chipmunk hides from the hot sun in the shadow of a tree. The tree is not affected.
- A turkey hides from predators in shrubs. The turkey does not harm the shrubs in any way but does not help them either.
- A spider builds a web between two ferns. The ferns are not impacted in any way.
Is predation a symbiotic relationship?
Predation is when one animal hunts and eats another animal as food. Although this is not always considered a type of symbiotic relationship (because it is usually short-term), predation is still an important interaction between animals in an ecosystem!
Examples of Predation:
- A badger digs up and eats earthworms.
- A fox catches a rabbit and carries it back to a den to feed its pups.
- An owl hunts for a mouse to eat.
- A tree frog catches and eats a fly.
What about herbivory?
Herbivory is a short-lived relationship between species, similar to predation. However, herbivory is an interaction in which a plant-eating animal eats a plant. Herbivory is an important ecosystem interaction because it allows energy to flow up the food chain from producers (plants) to primary consumers (herbivores & omnivores). However, herbivory is not typically considered a symbiotic relationship.
Examples of Herbivory:
- A deer eats some grass.
- A moose munches the leaves off of a willow.
- A minnow nibbles on some algae.
- A caterpillar devours a leaf.
Teaching Symbiotic Relationships and Ecology:
I have tons of free and paid resources to help you teach your kids or students all about ecology, symbiotic relationships, and more!
1. Free Worksheets & Posters From Wild Earth Lab
My email subscribers can access my full collection of free learning materials, which includes printables like these:
2. Try Nature Journaling
A great way to learn about symbiotic relationships is by spending time in nature and making observations. Spend 15 minutes sitting in a natural area, observing the wildlife and plants around you, then write about the interactions you see. Do you see any examples of symbiotic relationships?
New to nature journaling? There are many wonderful options for guided nature journals and handmade notebooks on Etsy. Here are a few popular options to help get you started with nature journaling:
- Nature journal for kids (various grade levels available) – guided
- A beautiful bird-watching log for birders – unguided
- Personalized kids’ natural journal – guided w/ prompts
- Personalized refillable leather notebook – blank journal
3. Units (complete sets)
Support this blog when you purchase one of my ecology units! They include worksheets, lab activities, posters, and readings – everything you’ll need for an awesome ecology unit!
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Food Webs: an ecology unit with hands-on activities!$8.00 -
Forest Ecology: an environmental science unit$12.00 -
Macroinvertebrates: a hands-on aquatic ecology unit!$15.00 -
Pond Ecology: an environmental science unit for kids!$12.00 -
The Arctic: an ecology unit for kids$12.00 -
Deserts: an ecology and earth science unit$12.00
4. Mini Studies
My mini studies are selected “a la carte” materials that come from my units. They are great for those who don’t want to commit to a full unit or as a supplement to another curriculum.
- Symbiotic Relationships
- Pollinators
- Wildfire & Succession
- Frog Life Cycle
- Pond Ecosystem
- Aquatic Insects
5. Printable Classroom Posters
Individual posters from my units are available for purchase.
Thank you for your support!
Your purchase from my shop supports this blog and helps me create more educational content for teaching environmental science.
Thank you!
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References and Further Reading
- Michigan Tech University. (n.d.). Wildlife Ecology Basics. Michigan Forests Forever Teachers Guide. Available: https://mff.forest.mtu.edu/Environment/EcologyWildlife.htm
- Lord, J. (n.d.). Exploring Symbiosis. Oregon Institute of Marine Biology. Available: https://oimb.uoregon.edu/Documents/GK12/GK12-Fourth-Symbiosis.pdf
- National Geographic Society (n.d.). Symbiosis: The Art of Living Together. Available: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/symbiosis-art-living-together