What type of ecological relationship is defined as one species benefiting while the other is neither helped nor harmed?

The ecological relationship where one species benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed is known as commensalism. This type of interaction is characterized by a one-sided benefit, where the benefiting species may obtain food, shelter, or another resource without impacting the other species in a significant way.

For example, a classic instance of commensalism is the relationship between barnacles and whales. Barnacles attach themselves to the skin of whales, gaining mobility and access to nutrient-rich waters as the whale swims, while the whale remains largely unaffected by the presence of barnacles. This illustrates how commensalism operates without any significant advantage or disadvantage to the second party involved.

In contrast, mutualism involves a relationship where both species benefit, such as the interaction between bees and flowering plants, where bees get food from nectar and plants receive assistance with pollination. Parasitism, on the other hand, features one species benefiting at the expense of another, such as a tick feeding on the blood of a mammal. Symbiosis describes any interaction between two different species living in close physical proximity, which can include mutualism, commensalism, or parasitism, but does not specifically define the benefit to one and neutrality to the other as