A close, long-term biological relationship between two different species living together. This interaction can benefit both species (mutualism), benefit one while harming the other (parasitism), or benefit one with no effect on the other (commensalism).
From Greek 'sym' meaning together and 'bios' meaning life, literally meaning 'living together.' The term was introduced to biology in 1879 by German botanist Heinrich Anton de Bary to describe the intimate associations he observed between different organisms.
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