Final answer:
Commensalism is a type of symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected, as seen with certain skin bacteria in humans. Microbes also play vital roles in health and various industries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship where microbes are in a close nutritional association, and one benefits while the other is not harmed is known as commensalism. This is a type of symbiotic relationship that is distinct from mutualism, where both parties benefit, and parasitism, where one species benefits to the detriment of the other. An excellent example of commensalism is the bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis living on human skin, using dead skin cells without affecting the host. Moreover, microbes play an essential role in human health and activities, such as producing vitamin K in our gut critical for blood clotting, fermenting beer and wine, assisting with digestion, and protecting against pathogens.
n biology, the close nutritional relationship between two species where one benefits but the other is not harmed is called mutualism. Mutualism is a type of symbiotic relationship where both species derive benefits from each other. An example of mutualism is the relationship between humans and certain bacteria in the gut. These bacteria help in the digestion of certain food components that humans cannot break down on their own, while humans provide a suitable environment and nutrients for the bacteria to thrive.