Explain parasitism and provide an example of this relationship?

Answer 1

One example of a parasite would be the parasitic plant Cuscuta which is a yellow colored climber plant. It produces special kinds of outgrowths on this stem called haustoria. These haustoria penetrate the tissue of the host plant and connects to the vascular tissue. It then absorbs the required nutrients from the host plant.

Answer 2

Parasitism is a relationship in which one organism lives on or within another, and that organism harms the host organism while benefiting itself (a +/- relationship). An ectoparasite lives outside the body (e.g. a parasitic flea sucks the blood of a host dog) and an endoparasite lives inside the body (e.g. a parasitic tapeworm lives inside the intestinal tract of a host human). Fetuses can be considered parasites as well, although some argue that a parasite must be of a different species than its host.