Monarch butterfly caterpillars are completely dependent upon milkweed as a food source between the larval stage and when they pupate (in a chrysalis) and emerge as butterflies. This relationship can be referred to as obligate mutualism.
The concept of mutualism can be understood as a partnership between two different species that is beneficial to both organismsĀ involved. This connection may exist either between members of the same species or between members of two different species. Symbionts is the term given to the species that have this type of connection. All living organisms, including humans, animals, birds, plants, and even microbes such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, are capable of forming mutually beneficial relationships with one another.
In the case of obligate mutualism, the two species are entirely dependent on one another. The monarch butterfly caterpillars and milkweed have an obligate mutualistic relationship because the butterflies depend entirely on the nectar from the milkweed, the milkweed provides a place for the next generation of monarch caterpillars to survive, and the milkweed requires the monarch butterfly for pollination and thereby increasing its dispersal.
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