> By analyzing isotopes in the spiders’ tissues, the scientists determined the bacteria weren’t just hitching a ride from an eight-legged friend — they were also being eaten.
> “This is really the beauty of the symbiosis between the two: The bacteria get that perfect Goldilocks zone with everything they need,” Dubilier said. “Even if 80% of the population are eaten (by the spiders), it’s worth it for the 20% to keep surviving and reproducing.”
Sure, but there's a more conventional term for this kind of symbiosis. Usually it would be called "farming". Humans have the same kind of symbiotic relationship with pigs, or wheat.
> “This is really the beauty of the symbiosis between the two: The bacteria get that perfect Goldilocks zone with everything they need,” Dubilier said. “Even if 80% of the population are eaten (by the spiders), it’s worth it for the 20% to keep surviving and reproducing.”
Sure, but there's a more conventional term for this kind of symbiosis. Usually it would be called "farming". Humans have the same kind of symbiotic relationship with pigs, or wheat.