1. Relationships of Organisms for Biologists and Middle Schoolers
It ain’t necessarily love,
and
it can get complicated!

2. Competition
In this relationship, 2 species occupy the same habitat and have the same food requirements.

3. Natural Selection
The process by which organisms that are best adapted to their environment are most likely to survive and reproduce.
AKA-Survival of the Fittest

4. Predation (Predator/Prey)
In this relationship, one organism kills another for food.
The predator does the killing.
The prey is lunch.

5. Symbiosis
In this relationship, 2 species live close together and at least one of the species benefits.
There are 3 kinds-mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.

6. Parasitism
A relationship in which one organism lives in, off, or on another organism and harms it.
Mosquito gets food.
Human is harmed.

7. A relationship in which both species benefit.
Mutualism
A relationship in which both species benefit.
Bee gets ‘food’.
Flower is pollinated.

8. Commensalism
In this relationship, one species benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.
Note: not that common.
The nest doesn’t help or hurt the
tree, but the birds get a home.