Symbiosis
Close, long-term interactions between different species.
Last updated
A more restricted, mutualistic usage of the term applies when both symbionts aid each other's survival.[1]
Quick Facts
- Field
- Biology
Facts from the source article.
Biology and range
When one organism lives on the surface of another, it is called ectosymbiosis.[2] When one partner lives inside the tissues of another, it is termed endosymbiosis.[2] A lichen is a hybrid colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically among hyphal filaments of multiple fungi species.[3] Symbiosis may be obligate, where at least one organism cannot survive without the other, or facultative, where independent subsistence is possible.[2]
Competition is the term for an interaction that lowers the fitness of both parties.[2] When only one party experiences reduced fitness, the interaction is called amensalism.[2] The Ancient Greek word συμβίωσις (symbíōsis), meaning living with or companionship, is the origin of the term "symbiosis".[4] Lichens thrive in severe conditions, including on bare rock surfaces.[3]
What the specialist sources record
According to a 2013 publication by Herridge for the Australian Government Grains Research and Development Corporation, rhizobial inoculants convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that is more readily usable.[4]
References
- Wikipedia, "Symbiosis" (CC BY-SA 4.0) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Symbiosis" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ; (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Symbiosis" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Grube, "Species-specific structural and functional diversity of bacterial communities in lichen symbioses", The ISME Journal, 1 September 2009, p. 1105–1115; Grube, "Microbial consortia of bacteria and fungi with focus on the lichen symbiosis", Fungal Biology Reviews, August 2009, p. 72–85; Spribille, "Basidiomycete yeasts in the cortex of ascomycete macrolichens", Science, 2016-07-21, p. 488–492 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Symbiosis" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Herridge, "Rhizobial Inoculants", Australian Government Grains Research and Development Corporation, 2013 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Symbiosis (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
Also in the Codexery
More in Animal Behavior
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Symbiosis (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced