Isizathu Sokubaluleka Kokusebenzisana

“Akukho nto inokuziphilela—nto nganye ngokuthe ngqo okanye ngandlel’ ithile ixhomekeke kwenye ukuze iphile.”—“Symbiosis—An Introduction to Biological Associations.”

“UKUTHUNGELANA kwezinto”—hayi indlela elifaneleka ngayo elo binzana, kuba eneneni ubomi bukukuthungelana, iyileyo into ephilayo ixhomekeke kwenye! Oku kunjalo nasebantwini. Ukungqina oku, khangela nje umzimba wakho. Kumetyiso wakho kukho iintsholongwane ezisebenza zithe cwaka nezikugcina usempilweni ngokubulala izinto eziyingozi nokukunceda wetyise uze uvelise iivithamin eziyimfuneko. Wena ke, ekubeni zisemzimbeni wakho, uzixhasa ngokutya nangezinye izinto.

Kukho intsebenziswano efanayo nakwizilwanyana, ingakumbi ezo zetyisayo—njengenkomo, ixhama negusha. Kumetyiso wazo onamacandelo ahlukahlukeneyo kukho iqela leentsholongwane kunye nemibungu emincinane gqitha. Ngoxa zibila ngokungathi zinegwele, ezi ntsholongwane zincinane gqitha zahlulahlula incindi ekuthiwa yicellulose, necarbohydrate efumaneka kwizityalo ibe zizondlo ezahlukahlukeneyo. Kwanezinye izinambuzane ezitya le ncindi, kuquka iindidi ezithile zooqongqothwane, amaphela, imibungu, iintubi, noonomeva, banentsholongwane ebancedayo xa besetyisa.

Ukusebenzisana okunjalo kwizinto ezingafaniyo kuthiwa yisymbiosis, nto leyo ethetha “ukuphila ndawonye.”a “Intsebenziswano enjalo ibalulekile ekukhuleni kwazo zonke izinto eziphilayo,” utsho njalo uTom Wakeford kwincwadi yakhe ethi Liaisons of Life. Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge nje ngomhlaba, kuba kulapho zisuka khona izinto ezininzi eziphilayo.

Umhlaba—Uphantse Ube Uyaphila!

IBhayibhile ithi umhlaba unamandla. (Genesis 4:12) Oku kuyinyaniso, kuba umhlaba otyebileyo awuyongqushu nje engenamveliso. Zininzi izinto eziphila kuwo. Ikhilogram nje enye isenokuba iqulethe iintsholongwane ezingaphezu kwamawaka ezigidi ezingama-500, iwaka lezigidi zeentsholongwane ezibangela ukungunda, nezidalwa ezincinane ezinokuba zizigidi ezingama-500, ukususela kwizinambuzane ukusa kwimisundululu. Uninzi lwezi zinto ziphilayo ziyasebenzisana, zisahlukanisa umgquba—njengamagqabi omileyo nelindle lezilwanyana—ngoxa zifunxa initrojeni, zize ziyiguqule ibe kwimo enokusetyenziswa zizityalo. Kwakhona ziguqula ikharbon ibe yikharbon diokside nezinye izinto ezifunwa zizityalo ukuze zenze ukutya.

Ukutya okuyimidumba, njengelusini, ifula, iiertyisi, iimbotyi zesoya, kunolwalamano olusondeleyo neentsholongwane, kuba kuyazivumela ukuba zingene ezingcanjini zako. Kodwa kunokuba zisibulale isityalo, ezi ntsholongwane zikhulisa amaqhuqhuva amancinane ezingcanjini. Apho ziyakhula zize zibe nkulu kangangezihlandlo ezingama-40, zisiba ziibacteroids. Ezi bacteroids ziguqula initrojeni ukuze ikwazi ukusetyenziswa yile midumba. Ezi ntsholongwane zivuzwa ngokufumana ukutya okuvela esityalweni.

Nawo umngundo unendima ephambili ekukhuleni kwezityalo. Enyanisweni, phantse imithi emikhulu nemincinane kunye nengca zinobudlelane nokungunda. Nako ukungunda kungena ezingcanjini kuze kuncede izityalo ukuba zifunxe amanzi nezimbiwa ezibalulekileyo, njengeiron, iphosphorus, ipotassium nezinc. Kona ukungunda ekubeni kungakwazi ukuvelisa ukutya kuba kungenayo ichlorophyll, kufunxa iicarbohydrates esityalweni.

Isityalo esixhomekeke gqitha kwintsholongwane yokungunda yintyatyambo yeorchid. Izikhulela endle, imbewu yeorchid efana nothuli iqalisa olu lwalamano ngoxa ifuna uncedo ukuze intshule. Kwakhona ukungunda kuyasinceda esi sityalo sineengcambu ezincinane naxa sesikhulile. UTom Wakeford uthi ukungunda “kubangela kubekho inkqubo enamandla yokuqokelela ukutya eqinisekisa ukuba iorchid ifumana izondlo ngokwaneleyo. Njengentlawulo, kona [ukungunda] kufumana iivithamin nenitrojeni encinane evela kwesi sityalo. Noko ke, esi sityalo siqinisekisa ukuba ukungunda akubi kuninzi ngaphezu komlinganiselo. Sihlala sikujongile size sikubulale ngetyhefu yokwemvelo nanini na ukungunda kuzama ukukhula ngaphezu komlinganiselo ngaphakathi kwiingcambu kuze kufune ukugubungela nesiqu seorchid.”

Kwizityalo ezineentyatyambo, asizozinto zisemhlabeni nje kuphela ezisebenzisanayo; kodwa nezinye izinto ezibonakalayo ziyasebenzisana.

Intsebenziswano Ekusasazeni

Xa inyosi ihlala kwintyatyambo, iqalisa ulwalamano nayo. Yona ifumana incindi nomungu ngoxa intyatyambo ifumana umungu osuka kwezinye iintyatyambo ezifanayo nayo. Olu manyano lubangela isityalo sikwazi ukuvelisa ezinye iintyatyambo. Emva kokuba iintyatyambo ziye zamvumvuzelwa, ziyayeka ukuvelisa ukutya. Izinambuzane zazi njani ukuba “isidlo” sesiphelile? Iintyatyambo “ziyazixelela” ngeendlela ezininzi. Zisenokuphelelwa livumba, ziwe amagqabi, okanye zitshintshe umbala—mhlawumbi zingaqaqambi. Thina sinokudana xa sibona oku, kodwa yindlela “yentlonelo” yokuxelela inyosi ukuba ngoku isenokuya kwezinye izityalo ezisafuna ukumvumvuzelwa.

Kwiminyaka yamvanje sezimbalwa izinto ezenza umvumvuzelwano kwimimandla ethile, ingakumbi iinyosi. Oku kuyingxaki enkulu, kuba phantse izityalo ezingama-70 ekhulwini zixhomekeke kwizinambuzane ukuze zenze umvumvuzelwano. Ukongezelela, ama-30 ekhulwini okutya kwethu kuvela kwizityalo ezimvumvuzelwa ziinyosi.

Iimbovane Esitiyeni

Ezinye iimbovane zisebenzisana nezityalo. Ukuze zifumane indawo yokuzalela nokutya, ezi zinambuzane zisenokwenza umvumvuzelwano kweso sityalo, zisasaze imbewu yazo, zincedise ekufuneni izondlo, okanye zisikhusele kwizilwanyana ezitya uhlaza, enoba zezinye izinambuzane okanye izilwanyana. Olunye uhlobo lweembovane olwakha indlu yazo kumeva aholoholo omnga, zide zitshabalalise neminxeba ebonakala ngathi ifuna ukuphazamisa, eziyibona xa zihamba zijikeleza umthi. Umnga uzibulela iimbovane eziwucoca kakuhle kangaka ngokuzinika incindi emnandi.

Kanti ezinye iimbovane zikhetha “ukwalusa impahla” yaye umvuzo wazo uba yincindi emnandi efumaneka kwizinambuzane ekuthiwa ziiaphids xa iimbovane ziziphulula kamnandi ngeempondo zazo. Ithetha ngeeaphids, incwadi ethi Symbiosis ithi: “Iimbovane zizalusa ezi zinambuzane ngokungathi ziinkomo, zizisenga ukuze zifumane ukutya zize zizikhusele nakwiintshaba.” Kanye njengokuba umfuyi weenkomo zobisi ebeya kuzivalela ebuhlanti iinkomo zakhe ebusuku, ngokunjalo iimbovane ziyazithwala iiaphids ziye kuzifaka ezindlwini zazo apho zikhuseleke khona ebudeni bobusuku zize zizibuyisele “edlelweni” kusasa, ngokuqhelekileyo, kumagqabi aluhlaza nanesondlo. Yaye apha asithethi nje ngeeaphids ezimbalwa. Iimbovane zisenokuba “nomhlambi” weeaphids ongamawaka kwindlwana nje enye!

Ngoxa ziseyimibungu, iindidi ezithile zamabhabhathane zaluswa ziimbovane. Ngokomzekelo, ibhabhathane elikhulu eliluhlaza laluswa ziimbovane ezibomvu. Enyanisweni, eli bhabhathane alikwazi kuphila ngaphandle koncedo lweembovane. Ngoxa lisengumbungu, eli bhabhathane lihlawula iimbovane ngencindi engathi yiswekile. Kamva, xa ibhabhathane ligqiba ukuba nguphunguphungu, liyaphuma kwindlwana yeembovane likhuselekile.

Ukuphila Nezilwanyana Eziyingozi

Ukuba ubuyintaka, ngaba ubuya kuza nenyoka ephilayo kwindlwane yakho? Mhlawumbi uthi: “Unotshe!” Ukanti uhlobo oluthile lwesikhova lwenza kanye loo nto. Inyoka esiza nayo kuthiwa yiblind snake. Kunokuba iwalume amantshontsho, le nyoka itya iimbovane, iimpukane, nezinye izinambuzane kuquka nemibungu yazo. Ngokutsho kwengxelo ekwiphephancwadi iNew Scientist, amantshontsho akhula kukho le nyoka “akhula ngokukhawuleza yaye anamathuba angakumbi okuphila” kunalawo akhula ingekho le nyoka icocayo ngokutya izinambuzane.

Ingqangqolo ayihlali nje nenyoka eqhelekileyo, yakha indlwane yayo kufuphi neyengwenya—isilwanyana esitya iintaka ezithile! Noko ke, kunokuba ityiwe yingwenya, ingqangqolo iba ngumlindi. Xa kusondela utshaba kwindlwane yayo okanye kweyengwenya ngoxa ingwenya ingekho, itsho ngesankxwe sengxolo yaye ingwenya ibuya ilugcalagcala ngumsindo.

Ukuzinqola Ngenjongo Yokuzigcina Zicocekile

Ngaba wakha wayibona imivetshane ithe ngcu kwinyamakazi, kwinkomo, kwindlulamthi, okanye kwinkabi yenkomo inqola isikhumba sayo? Kunokuba zibe sisiphazamiso, ezi ntaka ziluncedo gqitha kwisilwanyana ezihleli kuso kuba zitya iintakumba, amakhalane, nezinye izinambuzane ezifunxa igazi ezingakwaziyo ukuzisusa ezi zilwanyana. Kwakhona zitya izilonda kunye neempethu. Maxa wambi umvetshane uyaxokozela ulumkisa isilwanyana ohleli phezu kwaso ngotshaba oluzayo.

Kuba ichitha ixesha elininzi isemanzini, imvubu icocwa “ngabahlobo” bayo, abaziintaka neentlanzi. Xa imvubu isemanzini, intlanzi enkulu iblack labeos efumaneka emilanjeni nasemachibini isusa ubulembu, isikhumba esiqinileyo nezinye izinambuzane ezifunxa igazi—phantse nantoni na enamathela kwisikhumba sesi silwanyana. Le ntlanzi ihlamb’ amazinyo neentsini zemvubu! Nezinye iindidi zeentlanzi ziyancedisa—zihlamb’ amanxeba, ezinye zisebenzisa imilomo yazo emide zingene zize zikhothuluze phakathi kweenzwane nakwezinye iindawo ezifihlakeleyo zengwenya.

Phofu ke nakuzo iintlanzi kufanele kususwe izinto ezingafunekiyo ezijingayo ezinjengezinye izilwanyana ezincinane zasemanzini, iintsholongwane, ukungunda, iintwala kuquka nezilonda. Ukuze oku kwenziwe, iintlanzi zidla ngokuya kwindawo ezicocwa kuyo. Apho iintlanzi ezincinane ezinemibala eqaqambileyo ekuthiwa ziigoby, iiwrass nezilwanyana ezincinane zasemanzini zizicoca ngokucokisekileyo ezi ntlanzi, nto leyo eyenza zifumane ukutya. Iintlanzi ezinkulu zisenokucocwa liqela elikhulu!

Iintlanzi ezifuna uncedo zisenokuba nendlela ezichaza ngayo ukuba zifuna ukucocwa. Ngokomzekelo, ezinye zima ngendlela engaqhelekanga—zijongise intloko ezantsi ngoxa umsila ujonge phezulu. Okanye zisenokuvula imilomo yazo nemingxuma yazo yokuphefumla, ngokungathi zithi: “Ngenani. Andisayi kuniluma.” Abacoci bakhawuleza bangene, enoba baza kucoca izilwanyana ezingoodlezinye njengempalanga okanye ukrebe. Ngoxa ezinye zicocwa, zitshintsha umbala, mhlawumbi ukuze zibonakale lula izinto ezifunxa igazi. Incwadi ethi Animal Partnerships ithi kwiindawo egcina izilwanyana zasemanzini engenazo iintlanzi zokuzicoca, iintlanzi “zikhawuleza zizaliswe zizilwanyana ezifunxa igazi zize zikhawuleze zigule. Kodwa kuthi kwakufakwa intlanzi ecoca ezinye kuloo ndawo iqalise ukwenza umsebenzi wayo, yaye ngokungathi ezinye ziyayazi into eyenzekayo nazo zidwele ukuze zicocwe.”

Okukhona siya sifunda, kokukhona simangaliswa ngakumbi kukusebenzisana nokuxhomekeka kwezinto eziphilayo ezisingqongileyo. Njengeemvumi kwikwayala enkulu, nto nganye inendima yayo, isenza ubomi bube luyolo—kuquka obabantu. Ngokuqinisekileyo, oku kubonisa ubuchule bokuyila noMyili Ophakamileyo!—Genesis 1:31; ISityhilelo 4:11.

Okuphela Konobangela Wesidubedube

Kulusizi ukuthi kudla ngokungabikho ntsebenziswano phakathi kwabantu nezinto eziphilayo. Ngokungafaniyo nezilwanyana, ubukhulu becala ezilawulwa lithuku, abantu baphenjelelwa zizinto ezahlukileyo, njengothando intiyo nokunyoluka.

Ekubeni abantu besiya benyoluka, abaninzi baxhalabile ngenxa yomhlaba esiphila kuwo. (2 Timoti 3:1-5) Kodwa abamkhathelele uMdali wawo. Ukuzaliseka kwenjongo kaThixo ngomhlaba akusayi kubuyisela umhlaba kwimeko yawo kuphela kodwa kuya kubangela intsebenziswano engummangaliso kuzo zonke izinto eziphilayo kuquka nabantu.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Izinto Eziphilayo Ezintlu-mbini

Loo matshanda angwevu okanye aluhlaza uqhele ukuwabona ematyeni nasemithini kusenokwenzeka ukuba bubulembu. Ezinye iincwadi zithi mhlawumbi ubulembu buziindidi ezinokuba ngama-20 000! Busenokubonakala ngathi yinto nje enye ephilayo, kodwa eneneni bona buyintlanganisela yokungunda nengubo yesele.

Yintoni ebangela ukuhlanganisana kwezi zinto zimbini ziphilayo? Ukungunda akukwazi kuzivelisela ukutya. Ngoko ke, ngemicu emincinane gqitha, ukungunda kuhlanganisana nengubo yesele, esebenzisa inkqubo yezityalo yokuzenzela ukutya ukuze yenze iswekile. Enye kule swekile iyagqobhoza ize ivuze kwingubo yesele, yandula ke ifunxwe kukungunda. Kwangaxeshanye, ingubo yesele ifumana ukufuma nto leyo eyikhuselayo ingatshiswa lilanga.

Noko ke sihlekisa, esinye isazinzulu sathi ubulembu “kukungunda okungumhlobo wezityalo.” Yaye bunobuhlobo obomeleleyo kuba ngokutsho kwencwadi ethi Liaisons of Life, ubulembu “bambathisa ummandla womhlaba omkhulu ngokuphindwe kalishumi kunommandla ogqunywe ngamahlathi ashinyeneyo.” Yaye ubulembu bufumaneka kwiArctic ukusa kwiAntarctic nakwimiqolo yezinambuzane eziphilayo!

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 8]

Iikorale—Zisebenzisana Ngokwenene

Iingqaqa zeekorale ziyilwe zizilwanyana ezincinane ezineenyawo ezininzi ekuthiwa ziipolyps kunye nobulembu. Buzigubungele ngokupheleleyo ezi zilwanyana zincinane, ubulembu bubangela ukuba iikorale zibe nemibala eqaqambileyo. Yaye ubulembu budla ngokuba nzima kakhulu kunezi zilwanyana, maxa wambi ngokuphindwe kathathu, nto leyo ebangela iikorale zibe ngathi zizityalo kunokuba zibe zizilwanyana! Noko ke, umsebenzi oyintloko wobulembu kukwenza ukutya kwezi zinto ziphilayo, ama-98 ekhulwini ako anikela ngako ‘njengerente.’ Ezi zilwanyana zineenyawo ezininzi zikufuna ngamandla oku kutya kungekuphela nje ukuze ziqhubeke ziphila kodwa ukuze zikwazi ukwakha iintsika zeengqaqa ezinekalika.

Ubulembu buzuza ubuncinane ngeendlela ezimbini kolu manyano. Okokuqala, bufumana ukutya okulilindle lezi zilwanyana zincinane—ikharbon diokside, izinto eziyilwe yinitrojeni kunye neephosphates. Okwesibini, zikhuselwa ziintsika ezomeleleyo. Kwakhona ubulembu bufuna ukukhanya kwelanga, yaye ngenxa yoko iingqaqa zekorale zikhula kumanzi acwengileyo nakhanya ilanga.

Xa iikorale zingaphathekanga kakuhle, njengaxa amanzi esiba shushu, iipolyps zikhupha ubulembu nto leyo ezenza zimbatshe. Emva koko zisenokubulawa kukungafumani kutya. Kwiminyaka yakutshanje, izazinzulu ziye zaphawula ukuba ziyanda iikorale ezimbatshileyo ehlabathini lonke.

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 8, 9]

Oko Sikufundayo Ngokusebenzisana

Iinqwelo-moya ezimbini ezinkulu zazibhabha zikufutshane enye kwenye ngendlela ezenza ngayo iintaka. Olu yayingelohambo nje luqhelekileyo lwasemoyeni; izazinzulu zazifuna ukuhlola nto ithile ezaziyiphawule kwiintaka ekuthiwa ziingcwangube. Kaloku, izazinzulu zazifumanise ukuba xa iingcwangube zibhabha ngolungelelwano oluthile zincediswa zezo zingaphambi kwazo, nto leyo ebangela ukuba iintliziyo zazo zibethe kancinane nge-15 ekhulwini kunezo zizibhabhela zodwa. Ngaba inqwelo-moya nayo ingazuza kule migaqo iluncedo yasemoyeni?

Ukuze bafumanise oku, oononjineli bafaka izixhobo ze-elektroniki zodidi oluphambili kwinqwelo-moya ababeza kwenza ngayo olu phando neyayiza kubangela umqhubi akwazi ukugcina inqwelo-moya yakhe ikumendo ongekho ngaphezu kweesentimitha ezingama-30 ukusuka kwenye inqwelo-moya ekumgama oziimitha ezingama-90 ngaphambili. (Bona umfanekiso.) Oku kwaphumela entwenini? Inqwelo-moya yakhe yayinamandla angakumbi ngama-20 ekhulwini yaye yasebenzisa ipetroli engaphantsi nge-18 ekhulwini kuneqhelekileyo. Abantu ababesenza olu phando bacinga ukuba oku kusenokuba luncedo emkhosini nakwiinqwelo-moya zokuthutha abantu.

[Inkcazelo]

Iinqwelo-moya: NASA Dryden Flight Research Center; iintaka: © Joyce Gross

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 5]

Kumetyiso wayo, inkomo inezinto ezininzi eziluncedo njengeentsholongwane, umngundo nemibungu emincinane (umfanekiso owenziwe mkhulu)

[Inkcazelo]

Umfanekiso omncinane: Melvin Yokoyama and Mario Cobos, Michigan State University

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Iinyosi zinceda izityalo ezineentyatyambo ukuba zivelise ezinye

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 8, 9]

Ingqangqolo kunye nenkomo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Intlanzi ekuthiwa yi-“butterfly” ikunye nentlanzi encinane ecocayo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Izilwanyana ezincinane zaselwandle ekuthiwa zii-“shrimp” ezibonwe zicoca i-“anemone”