The symbiotic relationship between an anemone (Heteractis Magnifica) and a clownfish (Amphiron Ocellaris) is a classic example of two organisms benefiting the other; the anemone provides the clownfish with protection and shelter, while the clownfish provides the anemone

Animals depend on one another to survive. They work together in many different ways. They can also work against one another. All these different relationships are known as symbiosis.

There are five main types of symbiosis: mutualism, commensalism, predation, parasitism, and competition. To learn about these symbiotic relationships, let’s take a dive into the ocean.

Mutualism

symbiotic relationship Imagine you are diving deep into the Pacific Ocean. Here, you’ll probably find a colorful clownfish in the middle of a group of sea anemones. You just found your first case of mutualism.

Mutualism is when two species, or kinds of animals, help each other out. Sea anemones live attached to coral reefs. They have stinging tentacles that can stun fish. Anemones drag stunned fish into their mouths and eat them.

There is one type of fish that is safe, though. Clownfish have special mucus on their bodies. It stops tentacles from stinging them. Clownfish are able to swim comfortably between the anemones.

symbiotic relationship Other fish see the brightly colored clownfish. They come down looking for a meal. The bigger fish are then caught and eaten by the anemones. This way, the anemones get to eat. At the same time, they keep the clownfish safe.

Commensalism

Commensalism happens when one species lives with, on, or in another species. This other species is called the host. The host is not helped or hurt by the relationship.

One example is barnacles and whales. Barnacles are tiny sea creatures that live in shells. They attach themselves to the skin of whales, which do not seem bothered by it. The huge whales carry the tiny barnacles to waters where there’s plenty of food. There, both animals eat tiny organisms called plankton.

Predation

Some symbiotic relationships aren’t so nice. Predation is when predators hunt and kill prey. One of the most known ocean predators is the orca or killer whale. Orcas hunt and eat many other animals, but there is no animal that eats them. In other words, they are at the top of the food chain!

Parasitism

Another harmful symbiotic relationship is parasitism. This happens when one species, the parasite, lives with or inside a host species. Parasites hurt the host, but they do not kill it immediately.

Some common parasites in the ocean are leeches and barnacles. Although barnacles have a different relationship with whales, they are parasites for swimming crabs. A barnacle may root itself inside a crab. It lives there, but it does not kill the crab.

Competition

Our last example of a symbiotic relationship is competition. This is when animals compete for food or space. Competition can happen between members of the same species. This is called intraspecific competition. It also happens between different species. This is called interspecific competition.

Coral and sponges have interspecific competition. A coral is a sea creature with tentacles. They use calcium to create a hard coral reef, where many animals live. Sponges are sea creatures that also live on coral reefs. If they eat too much, the coral does not have enough food to survive. If too many corals die, the reef ends up disappearing. This is bad for the sponges too. They begin to die off unless the reef is balanced again.

the symbiotic relationship helps us understand how healthy the ocean is. Right now, the oceans are heating up because of global warming. Scientists say people burn too many fossil fuels. Fossil fuels include natural gas, oil, and coal. Burning them creates greenhouse gases, which stay in the air around Earth. They trap heat and make the world hotter. Hotter water causes coral to lose the algae inside them. Algae is a seaweed-like plant. Without algae, the coral turns white and dies.

The symbiotic relationship between coral and algae tells us if the ocean is healthy. It also shows how humans are hurting the environment.

To survive, animals learn how to share — or not share — the spaces where they live. Creatures interact with one another in different ways. All of these different relationships are known as symbiotic relationships.

There are five main types of symbiotic relationships: mutualism, commensalism, predation, parasitism, and competition. To learn about these relationships, let’s imagine diving deep into the ocean.

Mutualism

Imagine you are diving in the Pacific Ocean. Here, you might spot a group of clownfish swimming in a bed of sea anemones. You’ve just found an example of mutualism.

In mutualism, both species help each other in some way. Sea anemones are creatures that live attached to coral reefs. When another animal touches an anemone, the anemone’s tentacles release poisonous chemicals. This stuns the animal and allows the anemone to bring the animal into its mouth.

Clownfish are safe from anemones. They have special mucus on their bodies that stops the tentacles from stinging. The lucky clownfish are able to swim comfortably between the anemones. Meanwhile, when bigger fish see the brightly colored clownfish, they come and try to eat them. These unsuspecting fish get killed off by the anemones.

Clownfish help the anemones get food. The anemones help keep clownfish safe. This is why their relationship is an example of mutualism.

Commensalism

Commensalism is when one species lives with, on, or in another species. This other species is called the host. The host is not helped by the symbiotic relationship, but it isn’t hurt either.

For example, barnacles attach themselves to the skin of a whale. Barnacles are small sea animals that live in shells. They do not seem to bother the huge whale, which carries the barnacles to plankton-rich waters. There, both species get to eat a large amount of plankton, which are tiny sea organisms.

Predation

If you keep exploring the Pacific Ocean, you won’t just see animals that help one other out. You’ll also see animals that hurt one another. For example, you’ll find predators hunting and killing prey. Their relationship is called predation. One of the best-known ocean predators is the orca or killer whale. Orcas hunt and eat many other organisms, but orcas themselves are not hunted by any other predator. In other words, they are at the top of the food chain!

Parasitism

Another harmful relationship is parasitism. This happens when one species, the parasite, lives with, on, or in a host species. The parasite is bad for the host species. Unlike in predation, the host is not immediately killed by the parasite, though.

Some common ocean parasites are leeches and barnacles. Although barnacles have a different relationship with whales, they are parasites for swimming crabs. A barnacle may root itself inside a crab’s reproductive system. The crab does not die from this, but it has a much harder time having babies.

Competition

When organisms fight over the same space or food, they are in competition with one another. Competition between members of the same species is called intraspecific. Competition between different species is called interspecific.

One example of interspecific competition is the symbiotic relationship between coral and sponges. Coral is an underwater creature with tentacles. They use calcium to create coral reefs, where many other animals live. Sponges are sea creatures that are common in coral reefs. They eat food that coral also needs in order to survive. Sometimes, sponges may beat out coral for that food. If this happens, and too many corals die, the reef starts to disappear. That means sponges won’t be able to live on the reef either, and they start dying off until the reef gets balanced again.

By looking at symbiosis, humans can understand how healthy an ecosystem is. For example, Earth and its oceans are heating up because of global warming. Scientists say this is because of the fossil fuels we burn, such as natural gas, oil, and coal. Burning them creates greenhouse gases, which stay in the air and trap heat. When ocean water gets hotter, it hurts the coral reefs. The higher temperature causes coral to force out algae, a kind of seaweed that lives inside them. Without their algae, the coral turns white and dies.

The symbiosis between coral and algae tells us how the ocean is doing. It also helps us understand how humans are hurting the environment. In the words of National Geographic Explorer Sylvia Earle: “We need to respect the oceans and take care of them as if our lives depend on it. Because they do.”

Millions of species roam planet Earth, and they have to figure out how to share resources such as food and shelter. Creatures interact with one other in a variety of ways, and these relationships are known altogether as symbiosis.

There are five main symbiotic relationships: mutualism, commensalism, predation, parasitism, and competition.

To explore these relationships, let’s consider a natural ecosystem such as the ocean. Oceanic environments are known for their wide variety of species. Imagine you are on a diving trip to explore the warm waters of the Pacific or Indian Oceans. You would likely spot an excellent example of mutualism: the relationship between clownfish and sea anemones.

Mutualism

In a mutualistic relationship, both species benefit. Sea anemones live attached to the surface of coral reefs. They trap their prey with stinging cells, which are located on their tentacles. The cells release poisons when a small animal touches an anemone’s tentacle. This paralyzes the stung animal, allowing the anemone to easily bring the animal into its mouth.

Other fish can be hurt by these toxic stings. However, the clownfish release a substance in the mucus covering their bodies that stops the firing of the stinging cells. This allows the clownfish to swim comfortably between the anemones’ tentacles. It creates a protected environment in which potential predators are killed off by anemone stings. This clearly benefits the clownfish, but how about the sea anemones? The brightly colored clownfish attract other fish looking for a meal. These unsuspecting would-be predators are then caught and eaten by the anemones.

Commensalism

As we continue our voyage, we discover the commensalism relationship between barnacles and humpback whales. Commensalism happens when one species lives with, on, or in another species, known as the host. The host species neither benefits from nor is harmed by the relationship. For example, various species of barnacles attach themselves to the skin of whales. It does not appear to bother the whales. How do the barnacles benefit from this unlikely relationship? The huge whales transport the tiny barnacles to plankton-rich waters, where both species feast upon the abundant microorganisms that live there.

Predation

Of course, some symbiotic relationships do cause harm. In predation, one species, the predator, hunts and kills another species, the prey. One of the better-studied ocean predators is the orca or killer whale. Found in every ocean on Earth, orcas are known as apex predators. They hunt and eat numerous other organisms — more than 140 species. However, orcas themselves are not hunted by any other predator. In other words, they are at the top of the food chain.

Parasitism

Another harmful relationship is parasitism. This happens when one species, the parasite, lives with, on, or in a host species, at the expense of the host species. Unlike in predation, the host is not immediately killed by the parasite, though it may sicken and die over time. Examples of common parasites found in the ocean include nematodes, leeches, and barnacles. That’s right: Though barnacles exist commensally with whales, they are parasites for swimming crabs. A barnacle may root itself within a crab’s reproductive system. While the crab does not die from this relationship, its ability to have babies is greatly diminished.

Competition

The last example of symbiosis we will explore on our imaginary dive is a competition or the struggle among organisms for the same limited resources in an ecosystem. Competition can happen between members of the same species, called intraspecific competition, and between different species, known as interspecific competition. An example of interspecific competition in the ocean is the relationship between coral and sponges. Sponges are ancient sea organisms that are abundant in coral reefs. If they become too successful, they take much of the food and other resources that coral needs to survive. Sponges may beat out coral for resources in the short term, but if too many corals die, the reef itself becomes damaged. That is because corals are responsible for building reefs out of calcium, and if coral disappears, the reef will too. Sponges may therefore start to die off until the reef is balanced again.

All this shows how symbiotic relationships can help us understand the health of an ecosystem. Large parts of coral reefs are damaged or dead because of increases in ocean temperature due to climate change. The temperature increase causes coral to eject the algae that live within them. Without their algae, the coral turns white and dies. This loss of symbiosis is an early sign of declining coral health and shows how humans can negatively affect an ecosystem. In the words of National Geographic Explorer Sylvia Earle: “We need to respect the oceans and take care of them as if our lives depend on it. Because they do.”

Planet Earth is inhabited by millions of species — at least! Because different species often inhabit the same spaces and share — or compete for — the same resources, they interact in a variety of ways, known collectively as symbiosis. There are five main symbiotic relationships: mutualism, commensalism, predation, parasitism, and competition.

To explore these relationships, let’s consider a natural ecosystem such as the ocean. Oceanic environments are known for their species diversity. Imagine we are on a diving expedition to explore the worlds beneath the waves. If we were in the warm waters of the Pacific or Indian Oceans, we’d likely spot an excellent example of mutualism: the relationship between clownfish and sea anemones. In a mutualistic relationship, both species benefit. Sea anemones live attached to the surface of coral reefs. They trap their prey with stinging cells called nematocysts, which are located on their tentacles. Nematocysts release toxins when a small animal contacts an anemone’s tentacle. This paralyzes the stung animal, allowing the anemone to easily bring the animal into its mouth for ingestion.

While other fish succumb to these toxic stings, clownfish secrete a substance in the mucus covering their bodies that suppresses the firing of nematocysts. This allows the clownfish to swim comfortably between the tentacles of anemones, creating a protected environment in which potential predators are killed off by anemone stings. This clearly benefits the clownfish, but how about the sea anemones? The brightly-colored clownfish attract other fish looking for a meal. These unsuspecting would-be predators are then caught and eaten by the anemones. Symbiosis.

As we continue in our imaginary deep-sea voyage, we may observe the commensalism relationship that exists between barnacles and humpback whales. Commensalism happens when one species lives with, on, or in another species, known as the host. The host species neither benefit from nor are harmed by the relationship. In our imagined example, various species of barnacles attach themselves to the skin of whales. Scientists have not discovered the exact mechanism by which barnacles are able to do this, but it does not appear to bother the whales. How do the barnacles benefit from this unlikely relationship? The huge whales transport the tiny barnacles to plankton-rich waters, where both species feast upon the abundant microorganisms that live there.

Of course, some symbiotic relationships do cause harm. In predation, one species (the predator) hunts and kills another species (the prey). One of the better-studied predators in the oceans is the orca or killer whale. Found in every ocean on Earth, orcas are categorized as apex predators. Though they hunt and eat numerous other organisms — over 140 species — orcas themselves are not hunted by any other predator. In other words, they are at the top of the food chain!

Another harmful relationship is parasitism. This happens when one species (the parasite) lives with, on, or in a host species, at the expense of the host species. Unlike in predation, the host is not immediately killed by the parasite, though it may sicken and die over time. Examples of common parasites found in the ocean include nematodes, leeches, and barnacles. That’s right — though barnacles exist commensally with whales, they are parasites for swimming crabs. A barnacle may root itself within a crab’s reproductive system. While the crab does not die from this interaction, its reproductive capabilities are greatly diminished.

The last example of symbiosis we will explore on our imaginary dive is competition — the struggle among organisms for the same limited resources in an ecosystem. Competition can happen between members of the same species (intraspecific competition) and between different species (interspecific competition). An example of interspecific competition in the ocean is the relationship between corals and sponges. Sponges are very abundant in coral reefs. If they become too successful, however, they take needed food and other resources from the corals that make up the reef. Sponges may outcompete corals for resources in the short term, but if too many corals die, the reef itself becomes damaged. This is bad for the sponges, which may begin to die off until the reef is balanced again.

Symbiotic relationships can be useful measures of an ecosystem’s health. For example, large tracts of coral reefs are severely damaged or dead because of recent increases in ocean temperature due to climate change. The temperature increase induces coral to expel the algae that live mutualistic allies within them. Without their algae, the coral turns white and dies. This loss of symbiosis is an early sign of declining coral health and speaks to the importance not only of studying symbiosis within marine environments but also of examining the negative impacts that humans can have on these interactions. In the words of National Geographic Explorer Sylvia Earle: “We need to respect the oceans and take care of them as if our lives depend on it. Because they do.”

Planet Earth is inhabited by millions of species—at least! Because different species often inhabit the same spaces and share—or compete for—the same resources, they interact in a variety of ways, known collectively as symbiosis. There are five main symbiotic relationships: mutualism, commensalism, predation, parasitism, and competition.

To explore these relationships, let’s consider a natural ecosystem such as the ocean. Oceanic environments are known for their species diversity. Imagine you are on a diving expedition to explore the worlds beneath the waves. If we were in the warm waters of the Pacific or Indian Oceans, we’d likely spot an excellent example of mutualism: the relationship between clownfish and sea anemones. In a mutualistic relationship, both species benefit. Sea anemones live attached to the surface of coral reefs. They trap their prey with stinging cells called nematocysts, which are located on their tentacles. Nematocysts release toxins when a small animal contacts an anemone’s tentacle. This paralyzes the stung animal, allowing the anemone to easily bring the animal into its mouth for ingestion.

While other fish succumb to these toxic stings, clownfish secrete a substance in the mucus covering their bodies that suppresses the firing of nematocysts. This allows the clownfish to swim comfortably between the tentacles of anemones, creating a protected environment in which potential predators are killed off by anemone stings. This clearly benefits the clownfish, but how about the sea anemones? The brightly-colored clownfish attract other fish looking for a meal. These unsuspecting would-be predators are then caught and eaten by the anemones. Symbiosis.

As we continue in our imaginary deep-sea voyage, we may observe the commensalism relationship that exists between barnacles and humpback whales. Commensalism happens when one species lives with, on, or in another species, known as the host. The host species neither benefits nor is harmed by the relationship. In our imagined example, various species of barnacles attach themselves to the skin of whales. Scientists have not discovered the exact mechanism by which barnacles are able to do this, but it does not appear to bother the whales. How do the barnacles benefit from this unlikely relationship? The huge whales transport the tiny barnacles to plankton-rich waters, where both species feast upon the abundant microorganisms that live there.

Of course, some symbiotic relationships do cause harm. In predation, one species (the predator) hunts and kills another species (the prey). One of the better-studied predators in the oceans is the orca or killer whale. Found in every ocean on Earth, orcas are categorized as apex predators. Though they hunt and eat numerous other organisms—over 140 species—orcas themselves are not hunted by any other predator. In other words, they are at the top of the food chain!

Another harmful relationship is parasitism. This happens when one species (the parasite) lives with, on, or in a host species, at the expense of the host species. Unlike in predation, the host is not immediately killed by the parasite, though it may sicken and die over time. Examples of common parasites found in the ocean include nematodes, leeches, and barnacles. That’s right—though barnacles exist commensally with whales, they are parasites for swimming crabs. A barnacle may root itself within a crab’s reproductive system. While the crab does not die from this interaction, its reproductive capabilities are greatly diminished.

The last example of symbiosis we will explore on our imaginary dive is competition—the struggle among organisms for the same limited resources in an ecosystem. Competition can happen between members of the same species (intraspecific competition) and between different species (interspecific competition). An example of interspecific competition in the ocean is the relationship between corals and sponges. Sponges are very abundant in coral reefs. If they become too successful, however, they take needed food and other resources from the corals that make up the reef. Sponges may outcompete corals for resources in the short term, but if too many corals die, the reef itself becomes damaged. This is bad for the sponges, which may begin to die off until the reef is balanced again.

Symbiotic relationships can be useful measures of an ecosystem’s health. For example, large tracts of coral reefs are severely damaged or dead because of recent increases in ocean temperature due to climate change. The temperature increase induces coral to expel the algae that live mutualistic allies within them. Without their algae, the coral turns white and dies. This loss of symbiosis is an early sign of declining coral health and speaks to the importance not only of studying symbiosis within marine environments but also of examining the negative impacts that humans can have on these interactions. In the words of National Geographic Explorer Sylvia Earle: “We need to respect the oceans and take care of them as if our lives depend on it. Because they do.”

On July 16, 1054, the Patriarch of Constantinople Michael Cerularius was excommunicated from the Christian church based in Rome, Italy. Cerularius’s ex-communication was a breaking point in long-rising tensions between the Roman church based in Rome and the Byzantine church based in Constantinople (now called Istanbul). The resulting split divided the European Christian church into two major branches: the Western Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. This split is known as the Great Schism, or sometimes the “East-West Schism” or the “Schism of 1054.”

The Great Schism came about due to a complex mix of religious disagreements and political conflicts. One of the many religious disagreements between the Western (Roman) and Eastern (Byzantine) branches of the church had to do with whether or not it was acceptable to use unleavened bread for the sacrament of communion. (The West supported the practice, while the East did not.) Other objects of religious dispute include the exact wording of the Nicene Creed and the Western belief that clerics should remain celibate.

These religious disagreements were made worse by a variety of political conflicts, particularly regarding the power of Rome. Rome believed that the pope—the religious leader of the western church—should have authority over the patriarch—the religious authority of the eastern church. Constantinople disagreed. Each church recognized its own leaders, and when the Western church eventually excommunicated Michael Cerularius and the entire Eastern church. The eastern church retaliated by excommunicating the Roman Pope Leo III and the Roman church with him.

While the two churches have never reunited, over a thousand years after their split, the western and eastern branches of Christianity came to more peaceable terms. In 1965, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras I lifted the longstanding mutual ex-communication decrees made by their respective churches.

Today, the two branches of Christianity remain distinct expressions of similar faith. Roman Catholicism is the single largest Christian denomination, with more than a billion followers around the world. Eastern Orthodoxy is the second-largest Christian denomination, with more than 260 million followers. Eastern Orthodoxy includes national churches, such as the Greek Orthodox Church and Russian Orthodox Church.

The article was originally published here.

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