The concept of Symbiosis:A survey of Terminonology used in description of associations of dissimilarly named organisms

Journal/Book: Mikroökologie und Therapie. 1989; 19: 33-59.

Abstract: Anton Heinrich de Bary defined the term Â„symbiosis" in 1879: Â„Symbiosis is the persistent and intimate living together of dissimilarly named organisms. Parasitism is the most popular and most exquisite phenomenon of symbiosis". Despite early misinterpretations and still existing misuse the original meaning is accepted in modern biological sciences, as expressed during a Symposium of the Society for Experimental Biology in Cambridge by Starr in 1975: Â„'Symbiosis' is an eminently appropriate term. But an unfortunate second usage, in which the term 'symbiosis' has been limited to those organismic associations that are mutually beneficial, has crept in. It is high time to reverse the semantic deterioration. I have resolved, not only to use and to foster the use of the term 'symbiosis', but also to have it mean pretty much what de Bary intended." The definition of symbiosis covers a wide span of associations, including parasitism, neutralism, commensalism and mutualism. Â„The value of the concept resides in the widening of the concept of organism as structural unit to include heterogeneous systems as a 'functional unity' or functional field" (Gregory, 1951). Apparently, this concept is little recognized in the field of gnotobiology and intestinal microbial ecology investigating organismic associations. Instead, terminology mostly is restricted to characterize properties of microorganisms. Microbes are referred to as being autochthonous, allochthonous, xenotochthonous, indigenous, non-indigenous, transient, resident, immunogenic or non-immunogenic and so on. Confusingly, there is a variety of different and often controversial interpretation of these terms, which becomes obvious by scanning the literature. This survey critically reviews terminology in the light of the concept of symbiosis and other connotations to give access to thorough discussion and appropriate interpretation, if possible, in respect to the information available at the present time.

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