Which type of ecological relationship can be illustrated by bees pollinating flowers?

The relationship illustrated by bees pollinating flowers is best described as mutualism. In mutualistic relationships, both parties involved benefit from the interaction. In this case, bees gain nourishment from the nectar of the flowers, which they collect to feed themselves and their colonies. Concurrently, the flowers receive a vital service in terms of pollination, allowing them to reproduce and produce seeds effectively. This synergistic interaction is essential for the health of ecosystems, as it supports biodiversity and the functioning of food webs.

In contrast, commensalism involves one species benefiting while the other is neither helped nor harmed; parasitism features one organism benefiting at the expense of another; and competition occurs when two species vie for the same resources, which can be detrimental to both. Mutualism is a key interaction that illustrates how species can coexist and support each other in an ecosystem.