 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2018) |
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged into Mutualism (biology). (Discuss) Proposed since November 2024. |
Protocooperation is where two species interact with each other beneficially; they have no need to interact with each other - they interact purely for the gain that they receive from doing this. It is not at all necessary for protocooperation to occur; growth and survival is possible in the absence of the interaction. The interaction that occurs can be between different kingdoms.
The term, initially used for intraspecific interactions, was popularized by Eugene Odum (1953), although other authors prefer to use the terms "cooperation" or "mutualism".[1]