CHAPTER 4:

INTERACTION
BETWEEN LIVING
ORGANISMS

INTERACTION
BETWEEN
ORGANISMS

Prey predator

Competition

Symbiosis

Commensalism

Mutualism

Parasitism

Prey-predator
A relationship where an animal captures and
eat other animals.

Snake eats and

kills rat
(predator)

Rat is the victim

(prey)

Owl
(Predator)

Rat
(Prey)

Insects
(Prey)
Frog
(Predator)

Predator

Prey

Owl

Rat

Tiger

Goat/deer

Frog

Insect

Competition
Competition is a relationship where organisms
compete with each other for food, light, water,
shelter, mate or minerals.

Compete for food

Compete for light

This is Intra-specific competition.

Competition among organisms of the same species.

This is Inter-specific competition.

Competition among organisms of different species.

INTERACTION
BETWEEN
ORGANISMS

Prey predator

Organisms
live together

Competition

Symbiosis

Commensalism

Mutualism

Parasitism

Commensalism

Commensalism is a relationship between two

organisms.
The commensal benefits from the host.

Commensalism (+,0)

Remora fish

Shark
-not receive any
benefits or harm

Gets
- free transport
- feeds on food
scraps left by shark

Commensalism (+,0)

Birds nest fern

-Grows on a tree
-To obtain sunlight

Tree
-not receive any
benefits or harm

Barnacles
- gets shelter

Mussels
- Not affected

INTERACTION
BETWEEN
ORGANISMS

Prey predator

Organisms
live together

Competition

Symbiosis

Commensalism

Mutualism

Parasitism

Mutualism
Mutualism is an interaction that benefits
both organisms. (+,+)

Mutualism (+,+)
Lichen consists of fungi and algae living together.

Algae
- produce food

Fungi
- Provide shelter

Mutualism (+,+)
Nodule
(contain
Nitrogen fixing
bacteria)
- Plant

Peanut plant root

-Provide shelter and food
bacteria

needs nitrogen
- But it must be changed
to nitrates first.
- Nitrogen-fixing bacteria
change nitrogen to nitrates

INTERACTION
BETWEEN
ORGANISMS

Prey predator

Organisms
live together

Competition

Symbiosis

Commensalism

Mutualism

Parasitism

Parasitism (+,-)
Parasitism

is an interaction that benefits the

parasites.
On

the other hand, the host is harmed by the

parasites.

Parasitism (+,-)
Tapeworm
- A parasite
- Live in human intestine
- Obtain food and shelter
from human

Host (Human)
-Loses weight
-Becomes weak

Parasitism (+,-)
Wood fungus
- Obtains food and
shelter from tree

Host (Tree)
-Is weakened and
may die

Parasitism (+,-)
Rafflesia
- Obtains food and
shelter from tree

Host (Tree)
-Is weakened and
may die

Symbiosis
(Living
together)

Indicator :
+ benefits

Interaction
Prey-predator

Effects
+ (predator)
- (prey)

Competition

+ (stronger organism)
- (weaker organism)

Commensalism

+ (the commensal)
0 (the host)

Mutualism

+,+ (both organisms)

Parasitism

+ (the parasite)
- (the host)

- harm

0 not affected (neither benefit nor

Biological control
Oil palm plantation

Attack,destroy
The fruits

Which method is better to kill

the pests and save
environment?
versus
Biological control
Pesticide

Biological control
- A method of using living things to kill the pests.
- Use prey-predator relationship.

kill

Biological control
Aphids (insects)
- destroy the plant

Ladybird
- eat aphids
-to save the plant

Biological control

Biological control has many advantages as compared to using

pesticides.
Some of them are :
a. does not pollute the environment
b. does not kill other pests because natural
enemies are used
c. is cheap and safe to use.