Mutualism

Fish and coral reefs are a mutualisitic pair whose roots probably originated from antagonistic interactions.

 The name given to associations between pairs of species which bring mutual benefit to one another.  Survival, reproduction and size of a species increase at a higher rate when in the presence of the other species. 

Mutualism can form ties between different populations and therefore create important organizations of communities. Mutualisms can 
be derived from a change in the outcome of antagonistic interactions between certain species.  The richness of the interaction of mutualisms depends on the diversity of the antagonistic interactions in a community. 

Examples include flowering plants' dependence on insect pollinators; or an animals' internal organs containing a mutualistic community of microorganisms. 

Table of Contents