Final answer:
Symbiosis refers to a close biological relationship between different species with at least one benefiting, with types being mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. Synergism refers to the combined effect being greater than individual parts, applicable in various contexts. They are distinct concepts and not interchangeable.
Step-by-step explanation:
Symbiosis describes a close and long-term interaction between different species, where at least one party benefits. There are three primary types of symbiotic relationships: mutualism, where both parties benefit; commensalism, where one benefits and the other is unaffected; and parasitism, where one benefits at the expense of the other. An example of a symbiotic relationship is the interaction between clownfish and sea anemones, where the fish are protected by the anemones' stinging cells and the anemones get food particles from the fish’s waste.
Synergism, on the other hand, generally refers to the interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects, often used in contexts outside of biological relationships between species. While the two terms may sound similar, they refer to different concepts and are not interchangeable.
The main difference between symbiosis and synergism is that symbiosis specifically refers to a biological relationship between two different species, with varying impacts on the parties involved, whereas synergism is broader and refers to any combined effect that is greater than the sum of individual parts, regardless of the types of entities involved.