Cowbirds get their name from the close relationship they share with the grazing animals they follow. Texas cattle, including the famous longhorn travel great distances, eating the plants and shrubs of the Texas prairie. As they graze, the cowbirds tag along. The cattle stir up insects as they feed, which just what the bird needs. The cows have no need for the insects, but the cowbird is deeply dependent on the relationship as their sole source of food.
Barnacles are ocean crustaceans. In adult form, the animals are sedentary, unable to move. As juveniles, they swim through the ocean and perform a metamorphosis into the adult form, attaching themselves to the body of a whale or other marine organism. The barnacle benefits by finding a habitat and having access to nutrients. The presence of barnacles does not appear to either benefit or harm the whale.
Tapeworms are segmented flatworms that get their name from their long, flat appearance. These worms live in the intestines of mammals such as pigs, cows and even humans. They get food by eating the host’s partially digested food, depriving the mammal of nutrients; also, the host will develop a secondary infection in the process.
In the marine biome, the great white shark is the apex predator. It usually preys on elephant seals. For seals, the best line of defense is to stay on land. For the great white shark, its exceptional hearing skills help to locate the seal. It is not always possible for the seal to stay out of water, lest it can die of hunger. The moment it gets into the water, it is on the great white's radar. It all comes down to whoever blinks first.
The Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens) has complex root systems are able to absorb more water quicker than most other desert plants this make it able to acquire nutrients and water faster than other plant species when water is available.
Sea anemones hitchhike on the back of hermit crabs, getting a ride across the seabed and extending their tentacles to eat the crab’s leftovers. Crabs actively recruit these partners. The crab grabs the anemone and holds it down so the anemone can attach to the crab’s own shell. In return, the anemones fend off hungry octopuses and other predators using their barbed tentacles. The crabs return the favor by scaring away creatures that eat anemones, such as starfish and fireworms.
Some species of shrimp are considered “fish cleaners” because they feed on parasites that infect fish. The fish that are cleaned are sometimes called “client fish.” As well as removing parasites, the cleaner fish remove and consume dead skin, tissue and excess mucous. This maintains the health of the “client fish” in return.
Mutualism
Competition
Parasitism
Commensalism
Commensalism
Predation
Mutualism
