mutualism

IPA/ˈmjuː.tʃu.ə.lɪ.zəm/
KK[mjˈutʃuˌʌlˌɪzəm]IPA/ˈmjuː.tʃu.ə.lɪ.zəm/

mutualism — noun

1. a type of ecological association in which two living things of different kinds e

1.名詞B2
釋義

a type of ecological association in which two living things of different kinds each help the other to survive, for example by providing food, protection, or help with reproduction.

例句

Bees drink nectar from flowers and carry pollen to other blooms, a form of mutualism.

noun: form of mutualism; two-way benefit

Clownfish hide among anemone tentacles while the anemones eat leftover scraps — a classic mutualism.

while + dash for two-way benefit clause

同義詞
  • symbiosis

    a broader term that includes mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism; often used loosely to mean mutualism in everyday speech

  • reciprocity

    used for mutual exchange in social or economic contexts, not in biology

反義詞
  • parasitism

    one-sided relationship where one species benefits and the other is harmed

  • competition

    both species are harmed or one outcompetes the other for resources

用法筆記

The term is mainly used in ecology and biology. It is often contrasted with parasitism (one species benefits at the expense of the other) and commensalism (one species benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed). As an uncountable noun, it does not take an article: 'Mutualism is common in rainforest ecosystems.'

常見錯誤

❌The two animals have a mutualism relationship.
✅The two animals have a mutualistic relationship.
💡'mutualism' is a noun; 'mutualistic' is the adjective form.
❌Mutualism is when both species help each other.
✅Mutualism is a type of biological interaction in which both species benefit from the association.
💡avoid using 'is when' for formal definitions.