What term describes the mutualistic relationship in colonies of organisms?

The term that describes the mutualistic relationship in colonies of organisms is symbiosis. In ecology, symbiosis refers to the close and long-term interactions between different species. This relationship can be mutualistic, where both organisms benefit, or it can take other forms like commensalism or parasitism.

In the context of colonizing organisms, such as coral reefs or certain bacteria in the human gut, symbiosis often implies that these organisms are not only living in close proximity but are also interdependent, where they contribute to each other's survival and success. For example, in coral reefs, algae (zooxanthellae) live within coral tissues and provide energy through photosynthesis while receiving shelter and nutrients from the coral. This mutualistic relationship is a quintessential example of symbiosis, highlighting how interconnected ecosystems can thrive through cooperation.

The other options relate to different types of ecological interactions: parasitism, which describes a relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of another, commensalism, which involves one organism benefiting while the other is neither helped nor harmed, and competition, which pertains to organisms vying for the same resources, but doesn’t imply mutual benefit. Recognizing symbiosis as the term for mutualistic