This October, Be The Earth launches the Reciprocity Hive: a vibrant space where our extraordinary network shares diverse offerings and gifts. Here, you can discover something you need, give something in return, and keep the life-force flowing.
Reciprocity is a foundational principle in nature — deeply appreciated and embodied by Indigenous peoples. The canon of indigenous principles that govern the exchange of life for life is known as the Honourable Harvest. It says to take only what is given, use it wisely, be grateful, and reciprocate the gift.
By giving back as much as we receive, we generate a multiplier effect on ecosystem health and regenerate life. We are reminded that all flourishing is mutual.
Robin Wall Kimmerer eloquently states,"a species and a culture that treat the natural world with respect and reciprocity will surely pass on genes to ensuing generations with a higher frequency than the people who destroy it. The stories we choose to shape our behaviours have adaptive consequences.”
Join us as we explore 7 fascinating examples of reciprocity in nature.
#1 “The Three Sisters”
“The Thee Sisters” is an agricultural method used by Indigenous peoples in the Americas for over 5,000 years. It involves growing three staple crops — corn, beans, and squash — together in a mutually beneficial, reciprocal relationship.
The corn grows fast and tall providing a natural structure for the beans to climb: a living trellis. This allows the beans to reach sunlight without needing additional support. Meanwhile, the beans are nitrogen-fixers — capturing nitrogen from the air and converting it into a form that enriches the soil. This improves the soil fertility for all three. Lastly, squash grows low and spreads out, providing ground cover with their large leaves. This shading retains soil moisture, suppresses weeds, while their spiny leaves deter pests.
#2 Beans and bacteria
However, the beans do not provide nitrogen to the corn and squash on their own. Rather, they partner with a special bacteria called Rhizobium — the nitrogen-fixers. When a bean root meets a Rhizobium underground, chemical communications are exchanged and a deal negotiated. The bean will grow an oxygen-free nodule to house the bacterium and, in return, the bacterium shares its nitrogen with the plant.
Together, bean and bacteria create nitrogen fertiliser that enriches the soil for the corn and the squash: layers upon layers of reciprocity emerge.
#3 Plants and pollinators
Pollination is nature’s most vital form of reciprocity: without it ecosystems and food systems would collapse. Plants provide nectar and pollen as food, while bees transfer pollen from flower to flower, enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds.
Incredibly, bees have even developed the “waggle dance” to further this reciprocal exchange. Described by scientist Karl von Frischwas as “the most astounding example of non-primate communication that we know”, the waggle dance is performed by a successful forager upon returning to the hive.
The bee vigorously waggles its abdomen from side to side, to indicate the angle of direction from the sun and distance of the nectar. The closer the nectar the shorter the waggle run. A 1 second run indicates the food source is 1km away.
#4 Shrimp and sharks
Shrimp and sharks share one of the ocean's most fascinating symbiotic relationships. Cleaner shrimp and fish like wrasses meticulously remove parasites, dead tissue and bacteria from sharks, feasting on these materials. In return, the sharks remain healthy and infection-free.
Certain marine locations serve as regular “cleaning stations” where larger fish come to be cleaned by the smaller species. These are mutualistic hubs where host fish line up to be groomed. Sharks even pause predatory behaviour, opening their mouths and gills for a deeper clean.
Interestingly, host fish watch the quality of the service provided and prefer the cleaners that don't cheat by nibbling on healthy tissue instead of parasites.
#5 Fungi and plant roots
Fungi and plant roots form an intricate mutualistic relationship called mycorrhizae, in which fungi help plants absorb nutrients like phosphorus and water, while the fungi receive sugars and carbon from the plant.
This underground fungal network — coined the “Wood Wide Web” — is a powerful communication system enabling plants to share resources and information. Ecologist Suzanne Simard discovered that trees use this network to exchange nutrients, warn of pests, and support weaker trees — fostering more resilient ecosystems.
Through this vast system, plants aren’t isolated organisms but part of a cooperative community, reliant on reciprocity and invisible underground connections.
#6 Fungi and algae
Lichens are a partnership between two organisms — fungi and algae — in a reciprocal relationship. The fungus forms the structure, creating a mini ecosystem for the algae, while the algae produce food via photosynthesis. The fungus, in turn, provides protection and resilience, allowing the pair to survive in extreme environments where neither could thrive alone. In 2005, two lichen species were sent into space, exposed to extreme temperatures, radiation, vacuous conditions: they returned unperturbed.
This collaboration is widespread in nature and is thought to have been key in the evolution of land plants, showcasing how mutualism drives resilience and adaptation.
#7 Purple asters and goldenrod
Reciprocity extends even to the world of colour and beauty. Purple asters and yellow goldenrods often bloom together, forming a striking reciprocal pair — their colours become more vivid when they are side by side. These complementary colours, appealing to both human and bee eyes, attract a greater number of pollinators than either would growing alone, leading to greater plant success.
Botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer studied this nuanced form of reciprocity: “It’s a testable hypothesis, it’s a question of science, art, and beauty.”