mutualistic
(noun)
Mutually beneficial.
Examples of mutualistic in the following topics:
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Mutualism vs. Symbiosis
- Symbiosis is a relationship between two organisms: it can be mutualistic (both benefit), commensal (one benefits), or parasitic.
- Mutualism: In mutualistic interactions, both species benefit from the interaction.
- Another classic example is the behavior of mutualistic bacteria in ecology and human health.
- Humans lacking healthy mutualistic gut flora can suffer a variety of diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome .
- For example, you might say that a gut bacteria is an "endosymbiotic mutualist," or that a flea is an "ectosymbiotic parasite
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Mutualistic Relationships with Fungi and Fungivores
- Members of Kingdom Fungi form ecologically beneficial mutualistic relationships with cyanobateria, plants, and animals.
- When both members of the association benefit, the symbiotic relationship is called mutualistic.
- Fungi form mutualistic associations with many types of organisms, including cyanobacteria, plants, and animals.
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Mycorrhiza
- A mycorrhiza is a symbiotic (generally mutualistic, but occasionally weakly pathogenic) association between a fungus and the roots of a vascular plant.
- Mycorrhizas form a mutualistic relationship with the roots of most plant species.
- This mutualistic association provides the fungus with relatively constant and direct access to carbohydrates, such as glucose and sucrose.
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Overview of Human-Microbial Reactions
- Human-microbial interactions can be commensal or mutualistic, as with many types of gut flora, or harmful, as with pathogenic bacteria.
- The relationship between gut flora and humans is thought to be not merely commensal, but rather a mutualistic relationship.
- Skin flora are usually non-pathogenic and either commensal or mutualistic.
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Squid-Aliivibrio Symbiosis
- One of the best studied examples of bioluminescence is the Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) and its mutualistic bacteria, Aliivibrio fischeri.
- Bobtail squid rely on their mutualist bacteria Allivibrio fischerii to generate light.
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Community Ecology and Ecosystem Ecology
- For example, the larvae of the Karner blue butterfly form mutualistic relationships with ants.
- This mutualistic relationship is an example of a community ecological study, which aims to examine the interactions between different species living in an area.
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Symbiosis
- Most scientists accept this definition, but some restrict the term to only those species that are mutualistic, where both individuals benefit from the interaction.
- For example, termites have a mutualistic relationship with protozoa that live in the insect's gut.
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Class Anthozoa
- Some sea anemones establish a mutualistic relationship with hermit crabs by attaching to the crab's shell.
- Another type of anthozoan that forms an important mutualistic relationship is reef building coral.
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Microbiota of the Skin
- Skin flora are usually non-pathogenic, and either commensals (are not harmful to their host) or mutualistic (offer a benefit).
- Skin microflora can be commensals, mutualistic, or pathogens.
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an example of a mutualistic bacterium that can turn into a pathogen and cause disease.
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Bacteroides and Flavobacterium
- The bacteroides are further characterized as mutualistic and have been identified in the mammalian gastrointestinal system .