Name: ______

Relationships - Option 3

Manipulative

Lay out the title cards (Mutualism, Parasitism, Commensalism, Predation & Competition), in a row. Read the relationship cards and place them under the symbiotic relationship they belong. Answer the following questions.

  1. What happens in a mutualistic relationship?
  2. What happens in a parasitic relationship?
  3. What happens in a commensalistic relationship?

After laying out your cards, answer the following questions:

  1. Describe two examples of mutualism.
  1. Describe two examples of parasitism.
  1. Describe two examples of commensalism.

The human digestive system contains E coli bacteria which helps digestion and vitamin production. The E coli gets a stable environment to live in.
/ Grape vines grow up the trunk of ash trees to get more light and space, but do not kill the ash tree.
Mosquitoes eat human blood for nutrition to lay eggs.
/ Bumble bees drink nectar from flowers. In return, they pollinate (spread pollen between flowers) to help the flower reproduce.
The bison stir up insects in the grass. Cowbirds eat the insects in the grass.
/ The ant burrows into a thorn of an acacia tree to live and eat sugar made by the tree. The ant protects the tree by attacking predators.
The oxpecker bird eats ticks off a hippopotamus’ back.
/ Green algae and fungi depend on each other, the fungus gets nutrients from the algae and the algae gets water and nutrients from the fungus.
Spider crabs hide in seaweed to camouflage themself. The seaweed is not affected.
/ Three species of warbler birds live in the same Spruce Tree for protection and food.
The lynx eats the snow shoe hare.
/ The Mountain Yellow Legged Frog has become nourishment for the terrestrial predator snake.
In a particular experiment, two species of paramecium were grown in separate petri dishes, and both thrived. When the two species were grown in the same petri dish, there was not enough food, oxygen and space for each to thrive.
/ Pilot fish swim closely next to sharks to catch any scraps while they feed. The sharks do not benefit from the pilot fish nor do they harm them.
Heartworms can mature in the heart and blood of a dog and block the flow of blood through blood vessels. / Ticks live on mammals and feed on their blood.

Lampreys are primitive fish with limited digestive systems. They attach to and feed on the body fluids of fish with more advanced digestive systems, often leading to the death of the host fish. This relationship is an example of… /
Orchids grow on the branches of high trees. These orchids get more water and sunlight than those on the ground. The tree is unaffected by the orchid’s presence. This relationship is an example of…

Clownfish are frequently found in the tentacles of sea anemones. Sea anemones capture their prey by paralyzing them with their tentacles. However, the clownfish produces a mucus that prevents the tentacles from harming it. By dwelling amongst the tentacles the clownfish receives a protected home sometimes attracting other fish to it. This relationship is an example of … /

The cheetah may eat the gazelle. This relationship is an example of …

All of these organisms are trying to get nutrition from this one zebra. This is an example of …
PREDATION
PARASITISM
COMMENSALISM
MUTUALISM
COMPETITION