Question

Sucker fish and shark live in close association, in a classic example of commensalism. What is commensalism?

Answer 1

Interspecific competition occurs between the different species of a specific ecological area. For example, the competition between lions and tigers for similar prey. The interspecific competition is of various types, such as predation, mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.

Complete answer:
Commensalism is a type of interaction in which one species benefits and the other species is not affected by the interaction. This species neither benefits nor harms from the interaction. For example, the remora rides that are attached to sharks and other fishes.

The sucker fish lives closely linked with the shark. Shark preys upon the fishes and the bits which are left are eaten by the sucker fish.

Commensalism refers to a positive interaction between two species in which one of the species is benefitted, and the other is neither benefited or harmed, for example, orchid on mango branch in which orchid (epiphyte) is benefitted as it gets support while the mango tree remains unaffected.

Additional information:
There are majorly two types of interactions: positive and negative interaction. In competition refers to a negative interaction in which both the species are harmed. The predation is another type of negative interaction in which one species (predator) kills and feeds on another species (prey). In this type of interaction, one is benefitted, and one is harmed. In commensalism, one species is benefitted (commensal) while another remains unaffected. Amensalism is described as a type of interaction between two species in which one species is inhibited or harmed, whereas another remains unaffected.

Note: The commensalism and ammensalism are two different interactions. In commensalism, one organism benefits, and the other organism remains unaffected. On the contrary, the ammensalism is the opposite one organism is harmed while the other remains unaffected.