Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Regional Office IX, Zamboanga Peninsula

8
Zest for Progress
Z Peal of artnership

SCIENCE GRADE 8
Quarter 4 - Module 6
Biodiversity and
Trophic Level

Name of Learner:
Grade & Section:
Name of School:
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 Module
Biodiversity and Trophic Levels
6

What I Need to Know

This module will introduce you to the concept of biodiversity, particularly the
advantage of high biodiversity in maintaining an ecosystem's stability (S8LT-
IVh-21). It will help you recognize the value of biodiversity in your community. Most
importantly, you will also learn the transfer of energy through the trophic levels
(SBLT-IVi-22). The lessons in this module are arranged to follow the standard
sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be changed to
correspond with the textbook you are now using. After going through this module,
you are expected to:

1. explain the advantage of high biodiversity in maintaining the

stability of an ecosystem; and
2. describe the transfer of energy through the trophic levels.

In the earlier grades, you learned that among different ecosystems, the
rainforest has the highest biodiversity. This means that it has the greatest number
of species living in it. Rainforests have high rainfall, thus lots of plants in them. This
condition provides shelter, water, and food to many species that can survive drought
or disasters and competition with other species. This results in a stable ecosystem
with a lesser rate of species loss. Tropical rainforests are located near the equator,
while temperate rainforests are found in the temperate regions.

What’s In

Biodiversity is the variety and variability of life on earth. It is typically a

measure of variation at the genetic, species, and ecosystem level. Biodiversity boost
ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important
role to play. Biodiversity can be classified into two – high biodiversity and low
biodiversity.

The flow of energy is the most important factor that controls what kinds of
organisms live in an ecosystem. Organisms obtain energy in different ways and
sources. Producers and consumers make possible the flow of energy through
ecosystems through food chains and food webs. The reduction in the amount of
available energy limits the number of steps that can occur in a food chain.

Guide Questions:
1. How does biodiversity contribute to the sustainability of an ecosystem?
2. How does energy become transferred from one organism to another?

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 What’s New
Activity 1
What is the importance of biodiversity to ecosystems?

Objectives:
After performing this activity, you should be able to:
i. differentiate low from high biodiversity.
ii. give advantages of high over low biodiversity,
iii. Identify ecosystems with low and high biodiversity, and
iv. predict what will happen to an ecosystem with low biodiversity.

Materials Needed:
photos of different ecosystems
pencil/ball pen

Procedure:
1. Get photos of various ecosystems from your teacher.
2. Identify which of them have high or low biodiversity.
Q1. Which ecosystem/s has/have high biodiversity? Low biodiversity?
3. Study the photo below.

Figure 27. A banana plantation

https://www.freepik.com/premium-photo/plantation-bananas-tenerife

Q2. Does it have high or low biodiversity?

Q3. What will happen if pests attack the banana plants?

Q4. What will happen if a strong typhoon comes and heavy flooding occurs?

Q5. How will this affect the helpers and owner of the plantation?

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4. Examine the photo below.

Figure 28. A coral reef ecosystem

https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=302419&picture=coral-reef

Q6. What biotic components are present in this ecosystem?

Q7. Describe some relationships and interactions that occur among these biotic
components.

Q8. Why is high biodiversity advantageous over low biodiversity?

Q9. What is the importance of biodiversity to ecosystems?

The North Pole and certain deserts are examples of ecosystems with low
biodiversity.
Q10. Give other examples of familiar ecosystems with low biodiversity.

What is It?

https://slideplayer.com/slide/4687857/

Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter

how small, has a vital role to play. For instance, a larger number of plant species
means a greater variety of crops. Greater species diversity ensures natural
sustainability for all life forms.

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 Low biodiversity means that the trophic system is likely less functional. Since
fewer species are in the various trophic levels, the paths of energy and nutrients are
fewer in number. High biodiversity is like a bed of nails, except the nails are what's
keeping the ecosystem alive.

High biodiversity is good since there are many species present in an area.
This usually means that an ecosystem is healthy and is relatively undisturbed by
humans. Low biodiversity is a characteristic of an unhealthy or degraded
environment. A mown lawn in a city park is an example of an ecosystem with low
biodiversity.

The biodiversity of an ecosystem contributes to the sustainability of that

ecosystem. The higher the biodiversity of an ecosystem, the more sustainable it is.
Conversely, lower biodiversity equals less sustainability. The biodiversity of an
ecosystem contributes to the sustainability of that ecosystem.

https://slideplayer.com/slide/4687857/

The following are some of the advantages of high biodiversity in maintaining the
stability of the ecosystem.

Explanation:
1. The plant species' high biodiversity will aid in the abundance and growth of
the animal species, which feed on the plant species, thus maintaining stability
between plant and animal species.
2. The high biodiversity will promote significant variations in the gene pool,
which will support the adaptation and evolution of new traits associated with
species.
3. High biodiversity means a great source of medicine, food, herbs, and meat to
benefit human society.

Advantages of High Biodiversity

1) By having high biodiversity, the environment can be conserved and quickly
recover from the disturbances in an ecosystem.
2) More plants mean a better environment and lesser effect of greenhouse gases
or temperature rising.
3) Biodiversity helps to maintain the food web circle while disturbing it can result
in the scarcity of food.

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Disadvantages of Low Biodiversity

If a natural disaster were to occur, the whole population could be wiped out.
The trophic level of an organism is the position it occupies in a food web. A food chain
is a succession of organisms that eat other organisms and may, in turn, be eaten
themselves. The trophic level of an organism is the number of steps it is from the
start of the chain. Energy decreases as it moves up trophic levels because energy
is lost as metabolic heat when organisms from the next level consume the
organisms from one trophic level.

Trophic level transfer efficiency (TLTE) measures the amount of energy that
is transferred between trophic levels.

https://slideplayer.com/slide/4687857/

https://slideplayer.com/slide/4687857/

https://slideplayer.com/slide/4687857/

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https://slideplayer.com/slide/4687857/

https://slideplayer.com/slide/4687857/

https://slideplayer.com/slide/4687857/

https://slideplayer.com/slide/4687857/

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 What’s More!
Activity 2
How do you identify the components of a food chain in an ecosystem?

Objectives:
After performing this activity, you should be able to:
1. distinguish between producers and consumers; and
2. analyze the transfer of energy from one organism to another.

Materials Needed:
An article about “Monfort Bat Cave"
Activity sheet

Procedure:
1. Read an article about “Monfort Bat Cave.”
2. Read the following questions and write your answer in the space provided.

Locke, R. (2006). A treasure trove of fruit bats. BATS Magazine. 24(4)

Retrieved from www.batcom.org/pdfs/batsmag/batswriter06.pdf

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Q1. What are the organisms found in the surrounding area of Monfort Bat
Cave? List down in the table below.

Table 1. Organisms found in Monfort Bat Cave

Q2. What groups of organisms considered producers?

Q3. What part of the durian trees and other trees served as food for the Bats?
Q4. The population of cave-dwelling bats is declining because they are being eaten
by other organisms. What are these organisms that feed on bats?
Q5. Among organisms that feed on bats, are there organisms that possibly feed on
predators of bats? Yes No

2. Divide the organisms into the following categories as shown in the table below:

Table 2. Categories of organisms living in the Monfort Bat Cave

3. Based on table 2, construct a food chain with at least three (3) organisms
representing the producer, 1st order consumer, and 2nd order consumer.

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Activity 3: Analyze It!
Directions: Describe a food chain and food web. Choose the best answer that
describes the illustration.

Q1. You have just analyzed the transfer of energy by categorizing the organisms
according to their trophic level. In your own words, describe a food chain.

Food chains may be interconnected to form a food web. For example, one kind
of food may be eaten by several consumers. Or several foods may be eaten by one
consumer. A simplified food web in a Philippine forest is shown in Figure 2.

Philippines, Department of Education. (2009) Science and Technology II Textbook. (Rev. ed) Pasig City:
Instructional Materials Development Corporation

The flow of food in this food web is from producers to consumers to

decomposers.

Q1. Without decomposers, will producers and consumers stay alive? Why?

Q2. Without producers, will consumers stay alive? Why?

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 What I Have Learned
Activity 4: Let us see what you have learned!

In any ecosystem, energy is transferred between different trophic levels as

organisms produce and consume each other. Ecological pyramids can be used to
represent trophic levels for a food chain.

1. Use your knowledge of food chains to determine a valid food chain consisting of
four different organisms.
2. Arrange the organisms according to their trophic levels. Write the names of the
organisms in the ecological pyramid.

Ecological Pyramid
https://www.ck12.org/student/

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 What I Can Do
Activity 5: You can do more!
Food Web and Trophic Levels

Directions: List down at least 2 organisms for each trophic level in a marine
environment/ ocean.

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 Assessment
Set A
Directions: Encircle the letter of the best answer.

1. What are the advantages of high biodiversity in maintaining the balance of an

ecosystem?
A. It aids in the abundance of both plants and animal species.
B. It helps to maintain the food web circle.
C. High biodiversity means a greater source of medicine, food, herbs, and meat
to benefit human society.
D. All of the above
2. Which of the following is correctly arranged starting from lowest to highest trophic
level?
A. Grass, mouse, snake, eagle C. grass, bass, minnow, snake
B. bacteria, eagle, frog, mushroom D. algae, hawk, dear, bacteria
3. What type of organisms gets their energy by eating other organisms?
A. only carnivores C. only decomposers
B. consumers D. producers
4. What is used to show the different feeding levels in an ecosystem?
A. trophic levels C. food webs
B. food chains D. nutrient cycling diagram
5. What term is used to describe an organism that makes its own food?
A. Decomposer C. producer
B. Consumer D. omnivore
6. Biodiversity is a short term for _____________.
A. Biological diversity C. biological diverse
B. Biological diversified D. all of the above
7. How do organisms use most of the energy available to a consumer trophic
level?
A. transfer to the next trophic level
B. respiration, movement, and reproduction
C. producing an inorganic chemical compound
D. performing photosynthesis
8. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of biodiversity?
A. Agriculture C. medicine
B. Ecotourism D. deforestation
9. Which of the following is NOT a level of biodiversity?
A. Species C. genetic
B. Population D. ecosystem
10. Biodiversity can affect the of ecosystems and the of populations.
A. sustainability and stability C. stability and sustainability
B. life and existence D. existence and life

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SET B
Directions: Matching Type. Match Column A with the correct answer on Column B.
Write only the letter.

Column A Column B

_______1. Biotic a. nonliving

_______2. Abiotic b. living
________3. Herbivore c. eats the prey
________4. Predator d. feeds primarily on plants
________5. Biodiversity e. feeding level of an organism
________6. Trophic level f. biological diversity
________7. Food web g. complex network of food chain
________8. Coral reef ecosystem h. produces their own food
________9. Producer i. animals that eat other animals
________10. Carnivore j. marine ecosystem

Additional Activities
Activity 6: Let’s add more!

Directions: Write True if the statement is correct and False if the statement is
incorrect.

1. The energy that flows through the ecosystem cannot be recycled.

2. Sustainable refers to a system capable of continuing over long periods of
time with little change.
3. In any food chain, an average of 10% of the food eaten is turned into the
body mass of an organism and made available for the next level of consumers.
4. Humans are NOT dependent on biodiversity for survival.
5. By having low biodiversity, the environment can be conserved and will more
easily recover from disturbances of an ecosystem.

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 15
WHAT’S IN
1. B 6. B
2. A 7. B
3. C 8. C
4. B 9. B
5. D 10. C
WHAT’S NEW
Activity 1
Q1. An ecosystem with High biodiversity
is Tropical Rainforest. An
ecosystem with low Biodiversity is
the desert.
Q2. Banana Plantation
Low biodiversity
Q3. Destroys crop
Q4. Tilted or uprooted
Q5. Loose income
Q6. seaweed, squid, crab, WHAT’S MORE
Activity 3
crustaceans, algae, coral. Q1. Food chain is a sequence in which energy is
Q7. Mutualism-both organisms transferred.
are benefited from each other. From one organism to the next as each organism eats
No one is harmed. another
Q2. Without the decomposers that provides the nutrients
Q8. Ecosystems with high
for plants, both consumers and producers will not
biodiversity are better able be alive.
to remain at homeostasis Q3. without producers nothing would be alive since
Q9. Increase ecosystem it can produce its own food while others
Productivity don't. Consumers need these producers to be able to
live longer and stay healthy.
Q10. Dessert
What I Have Learned
Activity 4
WHAT’S MORE Ecological Pyramid
Producer – Tree, grass
Activity 2 Primary consumer – rabbit, grasshopper, deer
Q1. Plants – Durian trees Secondary consumer- mouse, snake
Tertiary consumer – hawk, fox
Other trees
Animals – bats, crows, What I Can Do Activity 5
Rats, pythons, dogs, cats Answers may vary
Monitor lizards, humans
Q2. Durian trees, other trees Assessment Additional Activities
Q3. Nectar, fruits
A B
Q4. Crows, rats, python, monitor
1. d 6. a 1. b 6. e 1. True
Lizards, cats, dogs, humans
2. b 7. b 2, a 7. g 2. True
Q5. Yes
3. a 8. d 3, d 8. j 3. True
4. a 9. b 4, c 9. h 4. False
5. c 10. c 5. f 10. i 5. False
Answer Key – Grade 8 Science
 References
Books
Bailey, R (2013) Three domain system. Retrieved from
http://biology.aout.com/od/evolution/a/99041708a.htm
Campbell Biology: Concepts and Connections (7 th Ed.). Pearson Benjamin Cummings, USA:
Pearson Education, Inc.
Campo, Pia C., May R. Chavez, Maria Helen D. H. Catalan, Leticia V. Catris, Marlene B. Ferido,
Ian Kendrich C. Fontanilla, Jacqeline Rose M. Gutierrez, Shirley R. Jusayan, Michael
Anthony B. Mantala, Cerilina M. Maramag, Marie Paz E. Morales, Eligio C. Obille, Jr.,
Digna Paningbatan, Genevieve Faye Pasamonte, Ma. Dulcelina O. Sebastian, Rolando
M. Tan, and Rodolfo S. Treyes. "Unit 4 Module 1 Biodiversity. Unit 4 Module 2
Interactions." In Science - Grade 8 Learner's Module, First Edition, 291-305. Pasig City,
Philippines: Department of Education, 2013.
Lantaw – Philippine Outdoor and Travel Photos (2009), Retrieved from
http://www.lantaw.com/2009/10/samal-monfort-bat-cave.html
Locke, R. (2006). A treasure trove of fruit bats. BATS Magazine. 24(4) Retrieved from
www.batcom.org/pdfs/batsmag/batswriter06.pdf
Reace, J.B., Taylor, M.R., Simson, E.J., & Dickey, J.L. (2012). Campbell Biology: Concepts
and Connections (7th ed.). Singapore: Pearson Education
University of the Philippines National Institute for Science and
Mathematics Education Development (n.d.) Nitrogen Cycle (Poster). Quezon City

Electronic Resources:
Banana Plantation Photo
https://www.freepik.com/premium-photo/plantation-bananas-
tenerife_9998558.htm?fbclid=IwAR2t8T-
KmqIVGHYsbQN7mtjCzytaKgqNxGRTW5ro07wT1OOaDqm-
8XY_1go#page=1&query=banana%20plantation&position=5
Coral Reef Public Domain Photos
https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=302419&picture=coral-reef
Biodiversity slide public domain https://slideplayer.com/slide/4687857/
Ecological Pyramid https://www.ck12.org/student/
Development Team Region IX Hymn
Writer: CHRYSEL E. TAN OUR EDEN LAND
Master Teacher I Here the trees and Golden beams of
Sta. Lucia NHS flowers bloom, sunrise and sunset,
Editor: BONNA MARIS N. ROMA Here the breezes Are visions you’ll never
Teacher III gently blow, forget.
Zamboanga del Sur NHS Here the birds sing Oh! That’s Region IX...
Reviewer: MILA P. ARAO merrily,
And liberty forever Hardworking people
EPS - Science
stays, abound,
Management Team:
Every valley and dale
Here the Badjaos Zamboangenos,
DANNY B. CORDOVA, Ed.D., CESO VI
swam the seas, Tagalogs, Bicolanos, Here
Schools Division Superintendent
the Samals live in Cebuanos, Ilocanos,
MARIA COLLEEN L. EMORICHA, Ed.D., CESE peace, Subanens, Boholanos,
Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Here the Tausogs Illongos,
thrive so free, All of them are proud
MARIA DIOSA Z. PERALTA With the Yakans in and true
CID Chief unity. Region IX our Eden
Land.
MA. MADELENE P. MITUDA, Ed.D. Gallant men And
Education Program Supervisor – LRMDS Ladies fair,
Linger with love and Region IX, our Eden
MILA P. ARAO
care, Land.
Education Program Supervisor - Science

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