What defines symbiotic relationships?

Symbiotic relationships are defined by close interactions between two different species that can yield a range of outcomes, including harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects. This definition captures the essence of symbiosis, which encompasses various forms of relationships, such as mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.

In mutualism, both species benefit from the interaction; in commensalism, one species benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed; and in parasitism, one species benefits at the expense of the other. This broad scope makes option B an accurate reflection of what constitutes symbiotic relationships.

Other options, while describing different ecological interactions, do not embody the full spectrum of outcomes associated with symbiosis. For instance, interactions between species with differing habitats do not necessarily imply a close relationship; competition focuses on the struggle for shared resources, and predatory interactions imply one species benefiting at the other's detriment, which does not align with the diverse nature of symbiosis.