A symbiotic colony is a group of organisms that work together and depend on each other in a mutually beneficial way for survival. They live closely together and contribute to each other's growth and success. Full definition
The process for kombucha and kefir is pretty much the same, and although the kombucha «mushroom» grows flat on the surface of the sweet tea, it has the same rubbery consistency as the kefir grains, and they're both made up of symbiotic colonies of yeast and bacteria. (herbangardener.com)
Easily the freakiest thing about the SCOBY (which stands for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeasts) is that, so long as it's got a continuous supply of sugar and tea to feast on, it just keeps growing. (bonappetit.com)
If you've brewed kombucha you know that with each new batch the brewing culture, called a SCOBY (which stands for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast), creates a «baby» or daughter culture that can be used to brew its own batch. (wellnessmama.com)