Relationships
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What is a Symbiotic Relationship? A symbiotic relationship is when 2 organisms are living in a close area together. There are three main relationships that are overall titled by a symbiotic relationship. Relating to different animals these three relationships include: Commensalism, Mutualism, Parasitism.
Relationships Occuring Between the Okapi
Day 7: I couldn't sleep a wink, and kept flipping and flopping on my small cot in my dimly lit room. I decided to distract myself and read some of the researchers research and the literature that was left for me to look over. I flipped to random page in Relations of the Okapi, I learned many things, some of which I thought were important to write down in my journal. The Okapi animal has many different relationships, but the one we are going to focus on is a Parasitism relationship occurring between the Okapi and the Nematode Worm. A parasitism relationship is when one species benefits from the relationship, but one species is endangered or harmed. The worm is capable of adapting into any ecosystem, anywhere from marine fresh water, soil, or the polar regions. However this worm has adapted to the insides of an Okapi. The reason this relationship is classified as a parasitism relationship, is because the worm enters the Okapi's body and is sheltered inside its liver. The Nematode Worm is nourished and gets its energy by sucking the blood, and cells of the Okapi. The doing of this can cause the Okapi to have liver failure which can result in death for the Okapi. As you can see, the worm benefits from this relationship by getting nourishment, food, and even shelter, however the Okapi does not benefit from this form of Symbiosis, because it causes failure of some body parts. This falls under the line of one species benefits, and one does not and is harmed.