Symbiotic Relationships of the Tiger
There are three types of symbiotic Relationships, mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. Mutualism is when both species in the relationships benefit and are happy. In a commensalistic relationship one species benefits but the other isn't harmed. Parasitism is a relationship where one species benefits and the other is harmed. There is also another kind of relationship that is similar but not symbiotic, the predator prey relationship.
Mutualistic Relationships
This is a microscopic photograph picture of bacilli, the tiger has a mutualistic relationship with that organism. This relationship is mutualistic because the bacilli kill off harmful diseases like e-coli and salmonella poisoning and the tiger gives it food and ideal living conditions.
The Siberian tiger has a mutualistic relationship with coliform bacteria, the bacteria in the picture to the right. The bacteria lives in the tiger's gut and helps break down sugar for the tiger, and the tiger gives the bacteria nutrients from the food it digests. This is mutualistic because both the coliform bacteria and the tiger benefit.
Commensalism Relationships
The tiger has a small amount of bacterium in their anus. The bacterium gets nutrients from the tiger's feces, but the tiger receives nothing, this is a commensalistic relationship because the bacterium benefits and the tiger doesn't.
The tiger can sometimes have an unknown companion, the golden jackal. When the golden jackal somehow is left out of his pack they will follow around a tiger, to try to find food. The tiger doesn't know about the jackal, this is an example of a commensalistic relationship.
Parasitic Relationships
This is a picture of a tick. The tick attaches itself to the tiger and sucks it's blood. This is an example of a parasitic relationship because the tick gets nutrients and the tiger is harmed.
Nematode worms latch onto the tiger and digs into it. The worm invades its system and the tiger may be infected. This is a parasitic relationship because the tiger is harmed and the worm benefits.
Predator Prey Relationships
This is a picture of a tiger killing a deer. This is a predator prey relationship because one species is the predator and one is the prey. Also, the deer would never eat a tiger.