What describes a relationship where both species benefit?

Mutualism is the term used to describe a relationship where both species benefit. In these interactions, each organism provides something that the other needs, which enhances their chances of survival and reproduction. A classic example of mutualism is the relationship between bees and flowering plants. Bees obtain nectar from flowers, which they use for food, while simultaneously aiding in the plants' pollination process, facilitating their reproduction.

This distinction is important because it highlights the cooperative nature of mutualistic relationships, where the success of one species complements the success of another. Understanding mutualism is crucial in ecology as these relationships can significantly influence community dynamics and ecosystem functions. The other options represent different types of interspecies interactions: commensalism benefits one species while the other is neither helped nor harmed; parasitism benefits one organism at the expense of another; and niche describes the role or function of an organism within its environment, rather than an interaction between species.