PARASITISIM

HERE IN NATURE, PLANTS AND ANIMALS INTERACT ALL THE TIME. BUT IT CAN BE
A LOT MORE COMPLICATED THAN JUST ONE THING EATING ANOTHER. THESE
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT ORGANISMS CAN BE EXAMPLES OF
WHAT WE CALL SYMBIOSIS.

SYMBIOSIS
SYMBIOSIS CAN BE DEFINED AS ANY KIND OF A CLOSE LONG-
TERM BIOLOGICAL INTERACTION BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT
ORGANISMS. THESE INTERACTIONS CAN BE MUTUALISTIC,
COMMENSALISTIC OR PARASITIC.

TODAY WE'RE GOING TO EXPLORE THE

FASCINATING WORLD OF PARASITISM.
The grasses of the Everglades are If we look closely we see that this love vine has little
sometimes attacked by a parasitic projections that penetrate the grass, stems, sucking the
plant called love vine. The name is life out of the plant. This is a great example of
misleading. parasitism.

In a parasitic relationship
the parasite benefits
but the host
is harmed.

TYPES OF PARASITES

Ecto-parasite
An ectoparasite lives outside on the
surface of the body of the host.
Endo-parasite
An endo-parasite lives inside the body
of the host, it lives in the blood,
tissues, body cavities, digestive tract
or other organs.

ticks & leeches flatworm & hookworm

SIGN 9.28.17
The human tapeworm is another endo parasite. You could have a 30-foot worm in your intestines
holding on by means of sharp hooks protruding from its head. The worm gets the food you need,
helping itself but hurting you in the process. That's parasitism.

UP! 2-4PM
You might think parasites are just plain nasty but they actually play a very important role.
Without parasites, their host species can very well over populate an ecosystem, putting too much
stress on the resources. The world is full of interesting examples of symbiosis.