Species interactions are the different ways that animals and plants interact with each other in nature. There are three main types of species interactions: predation, competition, and symbiosis.

Predation is when one animal, called the predator, hunts and eats another animal, called the prey. It’s a way for predators to get food and survive. For example, a lion preys on a deer in the wild. The lion needs to eat the deer to stay alive and the deer becomes the lion’s food.

Competition happens when two or more species need the same resources, like food, water, or space. They compete with each other to get those resources. An example of competition is when two squirrels are both looking for acorns. They have to compete to find enough acorns to survive and store for the winter. The faster or smarter squirrel may get more acorns and have a better chance of surviving.

Symbiosis is a relationship between two different species that live together and benefit from each other. There are different types of symbiosis, such as mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. Mutualism is when both species benefit from the relationship. An example is the relationship between bees and flowers. Bees collect nectar from flowers to make honey. While doing so, they pick up pollen on their bodies and transfer it to other flowers, helping them reproduce. Both the bees and the flowers benefit from this relationship.