Commensalism
A relationship between two species where one benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed. The benefiting species gains resources, shelter, or transport without affecting its host.
Used in the Books
This term appears in 2 chapters:
"You do. The question is: which relationships are truly mutualistic (both parties benefit), which are commensalism (one benefits, the other is neutral), and which are parasitism disguised as partnership (one extracts value, the other suffers)? This chapter explor..."
"Sexual reproduction recombines. Horizontal transfer borrows. - Symbiosis → Partnerships: Mutualism benefits both parties. Commensalism is one-sided but harmless. Parasitism extracts. Endosymbiosis integrates. - Natural selection → Adaptation: Variation exists."
Biological Context
Remora fish attach to sharks, getting transported to food sources while the shark is unaffected. Epiphytic plants grow on trees for support without parasitizing them. True commensalism may be rare—closer study often reveals subtle benefits or costs to the 'unaffected' partner.
Business Application
Business commensalism: small companies that benefit from large platform changes without the platform noticing. App developers on iOS, sellers on Amazon.