Final answer:
Fig trees and fig wasps are interdependent for survival, but wasps 'cheat' when they benefit from the figs without pollinating them, disrupting the mutualistic relationship.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves understanding the biotic interactions between species, focusing specifically on how fig trees and fig wasps exhibit mutual dependency for survival, and under what circumstances wasps might be considered as 'cheating' the symbiotic relationship. Parasitoid wasps, which play various roles in diverse life cycles, including as pollinators or as parasitic entities to hosts like caterpillars or seeds, can disrupt the typical mutualistic interaction when they exploit their host without providing the customary benefit in return.
For instance, if a parasitoid wasp lays eggs within a fig without pollinating it, this would be a form of 'cheating' the mutualistic system, as the wasp gains a reproductive benefit while the fig does not receive pollination needed for its reproduction. Thus, the intricate life cycles reflect delicate balances where each species usually contributes to the other's survival. Yet these balances can be disturbed by behaviors that fail to reciprocate the symbiotic advantages, revealing the complex nature of ecological interactions.