My query to Trivers:
Currently, there is a discussion on Twitter regarding proper usage of the term, "mutualism".
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Response from Robert Trivers:
yes i am used to your distinction but have paid no attention to the word
or its use for many years
mutualiism classically was between species, neither harm nor benefit
given, or when benefit not to the level of a symbiosis
Currently, there is a discussion on Twitter regarding proper usage of the term, "mutualism".
In my training, "mutualism" is reserved for Interspecific interactions, "cooperation" for Intraspecific interactions.
It seems that in the Ecology literature, "mutualism" is reserved for Interspecific interactions but that in the Behavior literature, "mutualism" and "cooperation" appear to be used interchangeably.
Please "weigh in" on this terminological issue, permitting me to quote your reply.
Thank you for your attention to this post.
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Response from Robert Trivers:
yes i am used to your distinction but have paid no attention to the word
or its use for many years
mutualiism classically was between species, neither harm nor benefit
given, or when benefit not to the level of a symbiosis