Final answer:
Mutualisms differ from predation and competition as both species involved benefit from the relationship, unlike the one-sided benefits seen in predation and the resource competition that occurs in competitive interactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mutualisms are different from predation and competition because both parties benefit. In mutualism, a symbiotic relationship exists where each species gains an advantage from the cooperation. It is different from predation and competition because in mutualism, both parties benefit, whereas in predation, one organism benefits at the expense of another, and in competition, both parties compete for resources. This is contrast to predation, where one organism benefits at the expense of another, and competition, where both parties vie for resources and may not benefit. Mutualism can be contrasted to other forms of symbiotic relationships such as commensalism, where one species benefits while the other is not affected, and parasitism, where the parasitic species benefits at the host's expense.