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IMAGE: This diagram illustrates the longfin damselfish-mysid relationship, where the niche created by the territorial algae farming longfin damselfish provides a protective refuge to mysids, leading to increased survival. In turn,...
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Credit: Illustration by Rohan Brooker
Throughout nature, there are instances of animals aiding one another and living together in mutually beneficial relationships that have helped shape the world's landscapes and biodiversity.
These domesticator-domesticate relationships form when one species provides multigenerational support to another species in exchange for a resource or service that benefits both species. An example of this type of relationship is how early humans domesticated gray wolves. The wolves were attracted to the human encampments, which provided them with protection and resources, and the wolves, in turn, helped the humans increase their hunting proficiency.