Hidden Planet: Secrets of the Animal Kingdom

Hidden Planet: Secrets of the Animal Kingdom — page 7
HIDDEN RELATIONSHIPS One example of the sometimes hidden relationships between different species is symbiosis which is when two or more organisms live closely together There are three main kinds of symbiotic relationship commensalism mutualism and parasitism Each of these relationships has multiple versions with different characteristics but all require a certain amount of balance between the species involved Commensalism In a commensal relationship one organism benefits while the other is neither harmed nor helped Many bird species such as the southern carmine bee eater for example perch on the backs of elephants and other large animals feeding on the insects disturbed by the bigger creatures movements Southern carmine bee eater Merops nubicoides 10