mutualismparasitism
Mutualismparasitism is a concept in ecology describing interactions that span a continuum between mutualism and parasitism. It emphasizes that many species relationships are not fixed dichotomies but context-dependent, with outcomes that vary across environments and life stages.
In mutualism, both partners gain fitness benefits; in parasitism, only the consumer benefits while the host
Key drivers include the costs and benefits of resource exchange, the host’s defense and tolerance, and the
Other instances involve gut bacteria, endophytic fungi, and symbiotic bacteria that usually aid digestion, immunity, or
The idea of a mutualism-parasitism continuum is used to interpret ecological interactions and their evolution, to