I've tried to find something on this, but I keep coming up short. I think mutualism is when one thing is living off another, but it doesn't affect the other (like a bird nesting in a tree). First is that correct? And if so, what is a specific example of a mutualistic relationship in the african savanna?

Mutualism is a situation where both organisms benefit. One good example is the clown fish and the sea anemone. The sea anemone provides shelter to the clown fish and the clown fish gives the sea anemone the leftovers of its meals.

One in the African Savanna... You may say about some birds and rhinos. The birds remove parasites from the rhino and in return the rhino protect the birds.

When you say MUTUALISM..
It is when both organisms benefit.
Both of them need each otherto survive..

FOR EXAMPLE:
Butterfly and a flower..

-chai-

Mutualism is a type of symbiosis. Symbiosis a close intimate relationship between two different organisms. There are different kinds of symbiotic relationships including parasitic, commensal, and mutualism.

Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship where one organism, the symbiont, benefits and the expense of the other, the host. There are many examples of this type of symbiosis in nature such a gut parasites like tape worms.

Commensalism is a symbiotic relationship where the symbiont benefits from the relationship and the host is neither harmed or benefits.

Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship where both organisms in the association benefit from the relationship. Mutualism is widespread and variable in nature. In other words though both organisms may benefit in a certain mutualistic association one may gain more of a benefit than the other. There are many famous examples of mutualism in nature including cleaner wrasses in coral reefs, pollination, lichens, and Mycorrhizal Fungi. One of the most famous examples of mutualism from Africa is between a giant fig tree and a tiny wasp. In fact the relationship is so close that neither the tree or the wasp can survive without the other. Learn more here (http://tinyurl.com/5bvnl3).