Ecology: The Biology of Interactions. 4.09. Commensalism
Commensalism is the direct or environment-mediated relationship between two populations in which one—the commensal population—benefits (increases in abundance in response to increasing abundance of its partner), while the other—the host population—is indifferent and does not depend on commensal abundance...
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April 8. Protocooperation
D. Shabanov, M. Kravchenko. Ecology: Biology of Interaction. Chapter 4. Population Ecology
4.10. Diversity of exploitation forms
4.09. Commensalism Commensalism is defined as direct or indirect relationships through the environment between two populations, where one – the commensal population – benefits (increases its numbers in response to an increase in the partner's numbers), and the other – the host population – is indifferent to these relationships and does not depend on the commensal's numbers. From this definition, it follows that the benefit received by the commensal is not associated with any special costs from the host, but is a consequence of its normal activity or life processes. Often, commensalism is closely linked to protocooperation (if the host begins to benefit from its partner) or parasitism (if the host suffers harm). Let's consider examples of commensalism, classifying them into four categories. Nutrition. The commensal can feed on dead hosts or their parts, as well as their waste products. For example, coprophages feed on the feces of larger animals, and necrophages on their carcasses. Shed human skin scales are food for various mites that live in house dust. Arctic foxes feed on the remains of polar bears, and pilot fish feed on the remains of sharks.