What Is the Symbiotic Relationship Between a Marabou Stork and a Bee?
According to the website Quizlet, a study tool for students, the symbiotic relationship between a Marabou stork and a bee is known as commensalism. Commensalism occurs when one organism benefits, while the other organism is neither harmed nor benefited by the relationship. The stork uses its saw-like bill to cut up dead animals for consumption, and the bee uses the remaining carcass for food and to lay eggs.
The bee benefits from the efforts of the stork, while the stork is neither benefited nor harmed by the symbiotic relationship with the bee. Another example of a commensalistic symbiotic relationship is the remora fish and the shark. The remora fish attaches itself to the bottom of a shark’s body and continues to travel with the shark. As the shark feeds, the remora fish eats the leftover food remaining from the shark’s meal. The sea anemone and the clown fish have a similar symbiotic relationship. The clown fish lives within the tentacles of the sea anemone and feeds on the remaining food left by the anemone. It also uses the anemone’s tentacles as protection from predators.
Symbiotic relationships are such that two organisms of two different species live together. Whether one organism or both benefits from the relationship depends on the type of symbiotic relationship. When both organisms benefit, it is known as mutualism. When one organism is harmed and the other organism benefits, it is known as parasitism.
