What is the term for when one species gets nutrition from another without necessarily harming it?

The term for when one species derives nutrition from another without necessarily causing harm to it is called protocooperation. This relationship is characterized by both species benefiting, but it is not essential for their survival. In protocooperation, the interaction is positive for both species involved, but each can survive independently without the other.

This concept stands in contrast to mutualism, where the relationship is also beneficial for both but is often more interdependent, meaning that each species relies on the other for survival. Parasitism involves one organism benefiting at the expense of another, often harming it in the process. Predation refers to one organism hunting and consuming another for food, which is typically lethal to the prey involved. Thus, protocooperation represents a more casual and less harmful interaction compared to the other types of relationships described.