Definition and Examples of Amensalism – Imaluop

In our environment all the organisms are dependent upon each other in different manners and for different reasons. Because no organism can meet all its essential requirements alone they live depending on other organisms. Sometimes two or more specific species live together for various purposes sometimes due to food, sometimes due to shelter or may be due to get protection. 

The dependency among different organisms in an ecosystem is known as biological association. There are different types of biological association among different organisations depending upon the requirements of various organisms. When we talk about the biological association it means the dependency among the biotic factors of an ecosystem. 

Now we will discuss one special biological association Amensalism alongwith definition and examples of amensalism. We will try to understand the amensalism relationship through modes of amensalism, definition of amensalism and examples of amensalism. 

What is Amensalism: Definition of Amensalism: 

It is a biological interaction in which one organism of the association is not benefited or harmed but another organism of that association gets harmed. So one organism gets neutral but it becomes harmful for another member of the biological association for example antibiosis is a phenomenon where one member gets harmful effects but another remains neutral. 

Different Modes of Amensalism: 

Now we will elaborate different types of modes in amensalism mainly two modes of amensalism are observed. 

Antibiosis: 

We are aware about the function of antibiotics but do you know that it is an amensalism biological interaction. The chemical release by an organism causes damage or death of the other organisms but the chemical secreting organisms do not affect. 

Competition: 

An organism which is larger than other organisms can easily win the food and shelter but other organisms do not get food and shelter to the same extent as that of the other organism. 

Examples of Amensalism: 

Walking On the Grass: 

Cattle and other animals when walking on the grass then the grass becomes damaged but the animals or cattle do not get any benefit or not get harmed. 

Antibiosis of Antibiotics: 

Antibiotics can resist the growth of harmful microorganisms in different ways. For example, when in a bacteria colony mould penicillium grows then penicillium secretes a harmful secretion which destroys the bacteria here penicillium not affected but bacteria effect in a negative way.

So we can say that controls of bacteria growth with the administration of penicillin is an example of amensalism. 

Amensalism by the Mode of Competition: 

Suppose a herbivore animal eats a specific type of grass now another insect also feeds on the same grass. When the herbivore eats the grass the animal is not affected but the insect affects it badly because the insect faces tough challenges to get the grass as food.

There is also a chance to get converted into prey of the herbivore animal so it is an example of amensalism. 

Toxic Chemicals Release by Some Plants: 

Some plant release some special chemicals which repeal other plants nearby. As a result growth of other plants near that toxic chemicals secreting plant was prohibited but the plant was not affected in any way.

So it is an example of amensalism and its mode is competition. For example black walnut is a plant which do not allow to grow other plants around its root zone because they secrete a chemical juglone which prohibits the growth of other herb near the plant. 

We can use amensalism in human welfare if we try to utilise them in a proper way. For example antibiotics are very useful to treat the bacterial disease which is a result of amensalism.

There are many other examples where we use amensalism in human welfare like biological control of some pests and practical application of amensalism. 

Reference: definition and examples of amensalism

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