Diverse Symbiotic Relationships in Nature

1. SYMBIOSES Symbioses - the close ecological relationship between organisms of two different species

2. “Three Types of Symbiosis” Mutualism – both species benefit from the relationship. Commensalism – one species benefits from the relationship while the other is unaffected. Parasitism – one species lives at the expense of the other

3. Mutualism Examples #1 Rhizobia bacteria to legumes • Legume root hairs secrete a substance that attracts this bacteria and the hair curls to surround the bacteria • The bacteria secretes an enzyme that creates nodules on the root • The nodules are full of a type of hemoglobin that allows the bacteria to obtain oxygen • The bacteria produce nitrogen for the plant

4. #2 The Clownfish and Sea anemone • The Clownfish while being provided with food, cleans away fish and algae leftovers from the anemone. • In addition, the sea anemones are given better water circulation because the clownfish fan their fins while swimming about.

5. #3 Another anemone relationship is with the Glass Shrimp.

6. #4 Coral and Zooxanthellae algae • Inside the sac of each coral polyp lives a one-celled algae called Zooxanthellae. • The algae gives off oxygen and other nutrients that the coral polyp needs to live and in return the polyp gives the algae carbon dioxide and other substances the algae needs. • That is why coral reefs grow so near the surface of the water where it is the sunniest--the algae need sunshine for photosynthesis.

7. #5 Coral Reefs have too many symbiotic relationships to list.

8. #6 Diatoms like number 9: Rhizoselenia Have a stable symbiotic relationship with the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria named Richelia

9. #7The giant worm, Riftia pachyptila vs. sulfur and methane eating bacteria • The giant tube worm has no digestive tube. • First, by means of its branchial plume (purple in the photo), it absorbs the energetic molecules contained in the fluid emitted by the hydrothermal vent as well as oxygen and carbon dioxide present in sea water. • These components are then transported, in the blood, as far as the bacteria which are found in the interior of certain cells of the animal. • Nourished the bacteria multiply and supply the organic matter which the tube worm needs to live.

10. #8 Sea anemone and a crab • The anemone attached to the shell provides camouflage, protection, and the two invertebrates share food. • In the wild, when the crab moves the anemone about the reef, it helps the anemones disperse. • When the crab outgrows its shell, it will leave it behind and find a new, larger shell and transfer the anemone on to it or select a larger anemone.

11. #9 Cleaner fish are fish that provide a service to other fish species by removing dead skin and parasites. These cleaner wrasses are cleaning parasites off a grouper.

12. #10 Did you know? The anglerfish's lighted lure glows with the help of millions of bioluminescent bacteria.

13. The barnacles attach to the skin with a super-glue like stuff they secrete from a "cement gland." Barnacles filter plankton from the water. Whether the barnacles bothers the whale or not is up for debate. Scientists don't believe the barnacles provide any benefits for the whale, but they probably don't hurt them either.  Commensalism

14. Remora (several species in the family Echeneidae) commonly attach themselves to sharks or ride their hydrodynamic bow wakes. In addition, they may eat parasites off sharks. Parasitic or MaybeCommensalism

15. Viruses are parasitic and require a host to reproduce. • Scientists have estimated that viruses kill 40% of marine bacteria daily and can be found in all species of ocean life. Parasitism

16. The Herring worm is a parasite found most commonly in herring fish. If a parasitic herring is eaten it is quite possible that the worms will be transferred to the human. Most species of fish have parasitic worms. Parasitism

17. Bibliography Armbrust, Virginia E. and Keith A. Sverdrup. An Introduction to the World’s Oceans, 9th ed. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill 2008 Anglerfish, Retrieved August 1, 2008, from http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/anglerfish.html Gray Whale, Retrieved July 31, 2008, from http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/gray-whale.html Viruses, Retrieved July 31, 2008, from http://www.bio-medicine.org/biology-news/Ocean-virus-identified-in-human-blood-samples-2353-1/ Barnacle, Retrieved July 31, 2008, from http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/Barnacle.html Herring, Retrieved July 31, 2008, from http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/sos/spsyn/pp/herring/ Diatoms, Retrieved August 1, 2008, from http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Bio07Tuat03-t1-body-d2.html Coral Reef, Retrieved August 7, 2008, from http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/ Anemone Shrimp, Retrieved August 1, 2008, from http://www.oceanfootage.com/stockfootage/Anemone_Shrimp Coral Polyps, Retrieved August 1, 2008, from http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral3.htm

18. Bibliography Hermit Crab, Retrieved July 29, 2008, from http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1898&articleid=2106 Herring Worm, Retrieved August 2, 2008, from http://2305physicalocean.blogspot.com/2007/03/herring-worm.html Riftia Worm, Retrieved August 3, 2008, from http://www.planete-energies.com/content/features/biodiversity-deep-sea/symbiosis.html Parasite, Retrieved August 2, 2008, from http://seafood.ucdavis.edu/pubs/parasite.htm Romora, Retrieved August 2, 2008, from http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/sharks-&-rays/behavior.htm