Dig a Little Deeper
What is a keystone? It is the stone placed at the center of an arch, the final one in the building process because it allows the structure to bear weight. In nature, a species can be a keystone because of its numerous symbiotic relationships.
Along for the Ride
Commensalism is more difficult to understand because the relationship isn't positive or negative for one of the participants. You could say that the neutral species is 'just along for the ride'. Although with this first example, a ride is exactly what the other species is after.
The Birds and the Bees
Symbiotic relationships can have incredible evolutionary power. Flowering plants make up the vast majority of modern plant species diversity, and a large reason for this is their symbiotic reproductive strategy.
Size and Smarts Aren’t Everything
Who can truly lay claim to the title of 'Humanity's Best Friend'? While we have given that name to the domestic dog, there are other symbiotic relationships that are even more important for the survival and development of the human species.
With Friends Like These, Who Needs Anemones?
Oftentimes, our awareness of relationships in nature can be influenced by cultural osmosis. If such a symbiotic partnership is depicted in a piece of popular media, we become more aware of it. That is certainly the case with this set of organisms.
You Scratch my Back, I’ll Scratch Yours
Sometimes the most fascinating symbiotic relationships are the ones we barely even notice, but they still convey important evolutionary benefits.
Living Together
The next dozen stories are all going to cover the topic of symbiosis, interactions between different species living closely together. Some of these relationships are beneficial, but others can cause harm to one of the individuals involved.
And a Happy New Year
The New Year is a time of new beginnings and an appropriate time to finish this first Nature Stories series.
Merry Christmas
A look back at where I used to live and how it compares with my current surroundings. There's a lot I miss about it, but plenty to be excited about where I am now.