Biol. [f. CONSORT sb.1 + -ISM.] The practice of being consorts: in Biol. the association or union during life of two plants, or animals, or of a plant and animal, each of which is dependent on the other for its existence or well-being. In the case of animals more commonly called SYMBIOSIS.
1880. Jrnl. Linnæan Soc., XVIII. 148. This process tends to explain the nature of the consortism of the fungal and algal elements in the autonomous lichen.
1885. Encycl. Brit., XVIII. 266 (Parasitism). The fungi which are concerned in the constitution of lichens maintain with the algal components throughout life relations of consortism. Ibid., 268. Symbiosis … the consortism of organisms in such fashion that mutual services are rendered sufficient to make the alliance profitable … to the whole community of organisms.
