MODULE 5

INTERACTIONS
Glossary of Terms
 Biosphere- the region on earth where life exists.
 Environment – collection of living and nonliving things.
 Organisms- living components make up the environment.
 Biotic-living component
 Abiotic- nonliving component
 Physical environment- nonliving components
 Population- organisms that belong to the same species and live
in the same place.
 Community- populations that live in the same place and interact
with each other form a community.
Living things have basic needs
to meet in order to survive.
These basic needs: water,
nutrients, sunlight ( for
plants) and shelter are
provided to them by their
physical environment.
ECOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS
 Mutualism
 Commensalism
 Parasitism
 Predation
 Competition
 MUTUALISM
Interaction where both species benefit from each
other.
Aphids are small insects that suck liquid
containing sugar from the conducting
tissues of plants. These aphids get
certain amount of sugar and other
nutrients from this liquid. Honeydew is
released through the aphid’s anus. The
ants consumed honeydew. The ants in
turn protect the aphids from their
predators.
 COMMENSALISM
One organism benefits from the host organism, while the
host organism is neither positively nor negatively
affected.
Fern living in Narra tree
The Narra tree is the host that provides a
place for the fern to live. When it rains, the
ferns get nutrients from rotting leaves and
other organic
materials that collect at the root base of the
fern plant.
Epiphytes- plants that depend on other
plants for support.
 PARASITISM
Parasite gets its nutrients from a living host that is
harmed by the interaction.

Examples:
 Insect larva ( parasite) gets
its nutrients by eating leaves
(host)
 Flea that thrives on a dog
 PREDATION
Animals kill and eat other animals.
Predator-animal that kill and eat.
PREY-animal that is eaten.
 COMPETITION
when two populations use the same resources
such as: food,nesting sites,habitat,light, nutrients
and water
  
ENERGY TRANSFER IN THE ECOSYSTEM
PHOTOSYNTHESIS- the process where plants
are capable of converting energy of the sun
into chemical energy in the form of glucose
(simple sugar) which uses water, carbon
dioxide and sunlight.
PRODUCERS- plants and microorganism that are capable
of making their food.
CONSUMERS- organisms that depend on other for food
such as animals and humans.
 First Order Consumers or herbivores- get energy by eating
plants
Example: goat, cow, caterpillar and mouse
 Second order consumer or carnivores-consumer that eats the
plant-eaters
Example: snake eats mouse, chicken eats caterpillar
 Third Order Consumer or omnivores- eats the second order
consumer
Example: hawk eats the chicken, crocodile eats chicken
FOOD CHAIN- the sequence of energy
transfer among organisms to obtain
energy and nutrients.
 Test I. Identify the following

1. The process where plants make their own food.

2. Big animals that eat small animals.
3. The transfer of energy from one organism to the next.
4. Organism that can make their own food.
5. Small animals eaten by big animals
PREY 5 PHOTOSYNTHESIS 1 PREDATOR 2
PRODUCERS 4 FOOD CHAIN 3
TEST II. IDENTIFY WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP
IS SHOWN IN THE FOLLOWING ORGANISM
WRITE MUTUALISM, COMMENSALISM,
PARASITISM, PREDATION AND COMPETITION
6. FERNS AND TREES commensalism
7. LION AND DEER predation
8. WORMS IN HUMANS STOMACH parasitism
9. COWS EATING GRASSES competition
10. APHIDS AND ANTS mutualism
Test III.Answer the following
1. What is the main source of energy?
Sun/sunlight
2. What is the producer in the picture?
Grass/plant
3. What is the final consumer? hawk
4. What is the primary consumer?
grasshopper
5. What is the secondary consumer?
Rat/mouse
6. What is the tertiary consumer? snake
7. Give one example of decomposer.
Fungi/bacteria/mushroom
Test III.Answer the following
1. What is the main source of
energy?
2. What is the producer in the
picture?
3. What is the final consumer?
4. What is the primary consumer?
5. What is the secondary
consumer?
6. What is the tertiary consumer?
7. Give one example of
decomposer.