Predation and Symbiosis

Symbiosis

Parasitism

Parasitism is when a parasite organism feeds on a host organism and takes its nutrients. The types of parasites are exoparasites (latch onto outside of the host) and endoparasites (latch onto inside of the host).

Mutualism

Mutualism is a mutually beneficial form of symbiosis in which two organisms help each other. In obligate mutualism, one/both organisms cannot survive without each other, while in facilitative mutualism, both organisms can survive without each other.

Predation

Predation is when one organism (the predator) kills and eats another organism (the prey)

Herbivores

Herbivores are the lowest level of predators; they feed on plants like grass

Carnivores

Carnivores prey on herbivores

Higher Level Carnivores

Higher level carnivores prey on other carnivores (they are rare because a lot of energy is lost in each tier of predation)