🪱 Parasitism
Parasitism is a type of biological relationship in which one organism benefits while the other is harmed.
🧠 Simple definition
Parasitism = “one wins, one loses”
- 🐛 Parasite → benefits (gets food, shelter, or nutrients)
- 🧍 Host → is harmed (loses nutrients, gets weakened or diseased)
🐾 Examples
🐜 In humans and animals
- Fleas on dogs
- Ticks feeding on blood
- Tapeworms in the intestine
- Mosquitoes biting humans
🌿 In plants
- Some plants take nutrients from other plants (like dodder plant)
⚖️ Key features
- Parasite depends on the host to survive
- Usually does not kill the host immediately (so it can keep living)
- Can be external (on body) or internal (inside body)
🔄 Difference from other relationships
- 🤝 Mutualism → both benefit
- 😐 Commensalism → one benefits, other unaffected
- 🪱 Parasitism → one benefits, other is harmed
🧠 Easy way to remember
Parasite = “Party on someone else’s expense”
If you want, I can also explain real-life disease examples, life cycle diagrams, or exam short notes 👍
