Final answer:
Interdependence means all living things rely on each other and their environment for survival, evident in interactions like symbiosis and competition. Symbiosis involves close, long-term biological interaction, while competition is the struggle for limited resources. Examples of resources include light, water, and mating partners.
Step-by-step explanation:
Interdependence in biology refers to how all living things rely on one another and their environment for survival. Examples of interdependence can vary from the simple act of a bee pollinating a flower to complex food webs where various organisms are connected through a series of energy and nutrient exchanges. An organism like a human may depend on plants for oxygen production and food, while the plant may depend on humans for CO2 during photosynthesis and activities such as planting or gardening.
Symbiosis and competition are two types of interactions that can occur within interdependent relationships. Symbiosis is a close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms, which can be mutualistic, commensalism, or parasitic. Competition, on the other hand, occurs when two or more organisms compete for the same resources that are in limited supply, such as food, water, or territory.
The following are three resources organisms may compete for:
- Light availability for plants in dense forests.
- Water sources in arid environments.
- Mating partners during breeding season.