to their related algae. We now know that the gonidia indeed are the algal or
cyanobacterial member of the lichen partnership. In the lichen partnership, the
photosynthesizing organism is phototrophic and termed to be a photobiont, with
algal photobionts being termed phycobionts, and cyanobacterial photobionts are
called cyanobionts. The phototrophic member of the lichen association supplies
metabolic energy through photosynthesis, the fungus does in turn offer a supportive
matrix and also may protect the photobiont from radiation and dehydration.
Frank wrote about symbiosis in this publication, using the German equivalent
word ‘Symbiotismus’, as being a cohabitation between species and suggested that in
his opinion there were stepwise levels of symbiotic association from the loosest to
the deepest possible necessary connection. The lowest stage would in his opinion be
called Pseudoparasitism ‘Pseudoparasitismus’ and represented by epiphytes. The
next higher level would be parasitism ‘Parasitismus’ in which one member only
takes and does not give, and even destroys. Frank believed that the term symbiosis
‘Symbiotismus’ would represent the highest level of association in which both
beings connectedly exist in a way that provides one-of-a-kind services to each
other, such that the two individuals seem to lose the concept of being separate
organisms and that relationship would be similar to a commensalism
‘Commensalismus’. Frank suggested that the term ‘Homobium’ could be used to
describe the combination of those two symbiotic organisms.
14.5 “Ueber Symbiose” by Anton de Bary, 1878
Heinrich Anton de Bary was a surgeon, botanist, microbiologist, and mycologist. He
is considered both a founding father of plant pathology and the founder of modern
mycology. We most remember Anton de Bary for a lecture “Ueber Symbiose”
[About Symbiosis] which he presented in 1878 to a meeting of the German Association of Naturalists and Physicians, at a convention which that group began on
September 11th in Cassel, Germany. The name of the city eventually was changed to
Kassel. The text of his lecture was published both as a journal article (de Bary 1878)
and then later as a book (de Bary 1879). I have relied upon the text of the lecture as
published in 1878 for the purpose of preparing this essay.
de Bary mentioned during his lecture what he considered to be a few examples of
parasitism, mutualism and commensalism.
14.5.1 Parasitism
de Bary defined one phenomenon of symbiosis as being complete parasitism, in
which an animal or a plant undergoes its entire life process while residing either on
or within another organism, during which the living body of the host serves as
nutrient material for the parasite. de Bary stated that the opposite end of the same
216
C. J. Hurst
cyanobacterial member of the lichen partnership. In the lichen partnership, the
photosynthesizing organism is phototrophic and termed to be a photobiont, with
algal photobionts being termed phycobionts, and cyanobacterial photobionts are
called cyanobionts. The phototrophic member of the lichen association supplies
metabolic energy through photosynthesis, the fungus does in turn offer a supportive
matrix and also may protect the photobiont from radiation and dehydration.
Frank wrote about symbiosis in this publication, using the German equivalent
word ‘Symbiotismus’, as being a cohabitation between species and suggested that in
his opinion there were stepwise levels of symbiotic association from the loosest to
the deepest possible necessary connection. The lowest stage would in his opinion be
called Pseudoparasitism ‘Pseudoparasitismus’ and represented by epiphytes. The
next higher level would be parasitism ‘Parasitismus’ in which one member only
takes and does not give, and even destroys. Frank believed that the term symbiosis
‘Symbiotismus’ would represent the highest level of association in which both
beings connectedly exist in a way that provides one-of-a-kind services to each
other, such that the two individuals seem to lose the concept of being separate
organisms and that relationship would be similar to a commensalism
‘Commensalismus’. Frank suggested that the term ‘Homobium’ could be used to
describe the combination of those two symbiotic organisms.
14.5 “Ueber Symbiose” by Anton de Bary, 1878
Heinrich Anton de Bary was a surgeon, botanist, microbiologist, and mycologist. He
is considered both a founding father of plant pathology and the founder of modern
mycology. We most remember Anton de Bary for a lecture “Ueber Symbiose”
[About Symbiosis] which he presented in 1878 to a meeting of the German Association of Naturalists and Physicians, at a convention which that group began on
September 11th in Cassel, Germany. The name of the city eventually was changed to
Kassel. The text of his lecture was published both as a journal article (de Bary 1878)
and then later as a book (de Bary 1879). I have relied upon the text of the lecture as
published in 1878 for the purpose of preparing this essay.
de Bary mentioned during his lecture what he considered to be a few examples of
parasitism, mutualism and commensalism.
14.5.1 Parasitism
de Bary defined one phenomenon of symbiosis as being complete parasitism, in
which an animal or a plant undergoes its entire life process while residing either on
or within another organism, during which the living body of the host serves as
nutrient material for the parasite. de Bary stated that the opposite end of the same
216
C. J. Hurst