SCIENCE 8

Part 1 - MATERIAL CYCLES IN THE ECOSYSTEM

WEEK 7-8 Part 2 - IMPACT OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES IN
4 Quarter
th

AN ECOSYSTEM
Lesson
Name: __________________________________________________ Score:
Section: TITANIUM
NOTE: NO NEED TO USE SEPARATE ANSWER SHEET, THIS PAPER WILL SERVE AS YOUR ANSWER SHEET.
PART 1
As defined by E. Odum (1969) , ECOSYSTEM is “any unit that includes all the living organisms (biotic) in a given area interacting with
the physical factors (abiotic) of the environment so that a flow energy leads to clearly defined trophic structure and cycles of essential materials
within the system.” There is indeed emphasis on how the interaction of biotic and abiotic factors can lead into cycle of materials in the
ecosystem.

Carbon(C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O), and Nitrogen (N) are considered to be the most abundant elements found in the body of most
living organisms. These elements which are naturally found in the environment take the form of compounds such as oxygen (O2), carbon
dioxide (CO2), nitrates (NO3-) and water (H2O). Living organisms utilize some of this materials through the process of photosynthesis. Out from
this food making process, living organisms are able to assimilate some of the most essential nutrients and elements.

Considering that most of these compound are found in limited amounts, living organisms must be able to return these materials back
to the environment to their reservoirs (water(hydrosphere), land (lithosphere) and air (atmosphere)) in order for plants/producers or autotrophic
organisms to use it for food production again facilitating a perpetual cycle of these materials. Living organisms as a medium of transfer, can
return this materials back to environment in two ways;

1. RESPIRATION- this is when animals and plants are able to exhale out or release CO2 and
perspire water (H2O) as waste products after chemically converting food into a usable form of
energy essential for sustaining life.

2. DECOMPOSITION- decomposers take part in the decomposition process of dead or

decaying organic matter thereby breaking it down into its simplest forms and returning it back
to the environment.

Thus, the essential nutrients and materials follow a cyclic path in the ecosystem.

Learning Tasks 1. Complete the diagram by supplying the correct description that best show how Carbon materials are being
cycled.
A. Cellular Respiration by animals

B. Combustion of fossil fuel by engines

C. Photosynthesis process

D. Dissolved carbon dioxide in bodies of water

E. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

F. Decomposition of organic matter

G. Cellular Respiration by plants

H. Cellular Respiration of decomposers

I. Organic Carbon in plants

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SCIENCE 8
Part 1 - MATERIAL CYCLES IN THE ECOSYSTEM
WEEK 7-8 Part 2 - IMPACT OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES IN
4th Quarter
AN ECOSYSTEM
Lesson

Learning Tasks 2. DIRECTIONS: Identify whether the following are abiotic or biotic components of the ecosystem.
_________1. water __________6. soil

_________2. grasses __________7. sea

_________3. oxygen gas __________8. earthworms

_________4. human __________9. carbon dioxide

_________5. bacteria __________10. Herbivores

ASSESSMENT: Read the following questions very carefully and choose the letter of the correct answer.
1. The ultimate source of energy on earth is the_____.
A. Sun B. Tide C. Food D. wind

2. Which of the following can be considered abiotic?

A. Nitrogen fixing bacteria B. Dissolved oxygen C. Plankton D. humans

3. The following are products of respiration process EXCEPT?

A. CO2 B. Oxygen C. Water D. ATP
4. Which of the following is true about the role of organisms in biogeochemical cycles?
A. Primary consumers takes more energy than Secondary consumers
B. Biotic factors bring back the essential materials to the environment through respiration or decomposition.
C. Decomposers is the end part of every food chain.
D. Materials follow a cyclic path in the ecosystem.

5. In a food chain, which is most likely able to bring back the nutrients/materials to its reservoir in the environment?
A. Producers B. Consumers C. Decomposers D. All of the above

PART 2
Humans are the top consumers in many food pyramids. To increase food production, they use methods that have an effect on food chains and
food webs. Some of the farming practices are described as follows:

Monoculture. This is the cultivation of a single crop in large areas. Vast tracts of land are converted to rice farms,
sugar farms, and coconut farms. By limiting the cultivation of different kinds of plants, people also deprive many
animals of their food and home. These animals, some of which feed on insect pests, move to other places. Only
the insect pests that eat the monocrop remain in the area.

Herbicides and Insecticides. Farmers spray their crops with insecticides to kill insect
pests, and with herbicides to kill weeds. However, the chemicals also destroy other organisms, including beneficial
insects and soil organisms which help in decay. Insecticides move up the food pyramid and accumulate in the
body of organisms. The smallest concentration of the chemical is at the base of the pyramid occupied by
producers. The amount increases towards the top. The greatest concentration is found in the top consumers such
as birds, mammals, and humans.

Chemical Fertilizers. Continuous and uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers may increase soil acidity, thus
destroying soil structure. Findings show that more fertilizers are needed for the same amount of yield after years of
monoculture. Fertilizers may run off to rivers, ponds, and lakes. Accumulation of fertilizers may cause the death of
these bodies of water. Fertilizers in the water will cause increased growth.

Deforestation is clearing the Earth's forests on a large scale worldwide and resulting in many land damages. One
of the causes of deforestation is to clear land for pasture or crops. According to British environmentalist Norman

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SCIENCE 8
Part 1 - MATERIAL CYCLES IN THE ECOSYSTEM
WEEK 7-8 Part 2 - IMPACT OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES IN
4th Quarter
AN ECOSYSTEM
Lesson
Myers, 5% of deforestation is due to cattle ranching, 19% due to over-heavy logging, 22% due to the growing sector of palm oil plantations, and
54% due to slash-and-burn farming.

Plasticulture is the use of plastic mulch in agriculture. Farmers use plastic sheets as mulch to cover 50-70% of the soil and allow them to use
drip irrigation systems to have better control over soil nutrients and moisture. Rain is not required in this system, and farms that use plasticulture
are built to encourage the fastest runoff of rain. The use of pesticides with plasticulture allows pesticides to be transported easier in the surface
runoff towards wetlands or tidal creeks.

Livestock Grazing - A huge amount of agricultural territory is used primarily as pasture for cattle and other
livestock. In the western United States, counting both federally managed and privately owned grazing lands,
hundreds of millions of acres are set aside for this purpose—more than for any other type of land use.
Agricultural livestock are responsible for a large proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions, most notably
methane. In addition, overgrazing is a major problem regarding environmental sustainability.

Antibiotics Large-scale use of antibiotics in agriculture (for non-therapeutic purposes)

compromises drug effectiveness in humans. Antimicrobial resistant bacteria can move from farms to humans through
food and airborne dust. These bacteria have also been found in raw and treated drinking water sources, although the
presence cannot be directly attributed to agriculture.

Water pollution resulting from conventional agricultural practices is wide-reaching,

affecting both surface and groundwater sources, in agricultural communities and those located downstream. .
Water quality standards for agriculture-related pollution levels include microbial pathogens, nutrient
pollution, and pesticides.

Climate change influences social and environmental determinants of health, including air and water quality and food security.
Agriculture and related activities contribute significantly to climate change through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The total
accumulated emissions associated with agriculture constitutes approximately one-third of GHG emissions worldwide.

Eutrophication, the gradual increase in the concentration of phosphorus, nitrogen, and other plant nutrients in
an aging aquatic ecosystem such as a lake. The productivity or fertility of such an ecosystem naturally
increases as the amount of organic material that can be broken down into nutrients increases. This material
enters the ecosystem primarily by runoff from land that carries debris and products of the reproduction and
death of terrestrial organisms.

Top 5 sustainable and eco-friendly farming practices

With the rising awareness about the environmental harm caused by large-scale agriculture, eco-friendly farming has become a priority. The
solution which can offset damages such as forest clearings, destruction of habitats, the negative impact of pesticides and intense carbon
outputs is sustainable farming. Both policymakers and environmentalists are actively promoting eco-friendly and sustainable farming solutions to
overcome these damages. Here are the top 5 sustainable farming practices which guarantee a green and environmentally friendly growth of
vegetables and plants.

1.Permaculture is a food production system which mimics how vegetables and plants grow in natural
ecosystems. It applies natural principles which combine intention, smart farming and design to reduce waste of
resources and increase production efficiency. The design techniques in permaculture include growing grains
and vegetables without tillage, each plant undertaking various purposes, herb and plant spirals, hügelkultur
beds and developing swales to hold water.

2. Aquaponics & Hydroponics are innovative farming methods which

involve soilless plant and vegetable growth, feeding the plants with nutrients which are carried by the
water. Hydroponics systems involve using mineral solutions to feed the plants' roots directly in a passive
medium such as perlite or gravel. However, aquaponics farming systems combine aquaculture and
hydroponics elements. Water which contains nutrients resulted from the mineralization of fish waste feeds
the roots of plants and vegetables which can grow in various mediums. The water is purified by the plants
and returns to the hydroponics section of the system.

3. Using Renewable Energy Resources Sustainable farming involves the use of alternative energy sources
such as hydropower, solar power or wind farms which are eco-friendly. Solar panels can be used to run
pumping and heating systems. Also, hydroelectric power sourced from river water can be used for various

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SCIENCE 8
Part 1 - MATERIAL CYCLES IN THE ECOSYSTEM
WEEK 7-8 Part 2 - IMPACT OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES IN
4th Quarter
AN ECOSYSTEM
Lesson
farming machinery. Farmers can compare energy consumption rates by using an online energy compare site to identify the best suitable power
sources.

4. Crop Rotation & Polycultures Farmers can decrease the chances of plant and vegetable diseases through
crop diversification on a surface of land and through crop rotation techniques. The practices can also reduce the
amount of pesticides and chemical fertilizers required

5. Trees Can Increase Crop Yields Agroforestry is a farming method which involves growing shrubs and trees
among other plants and vegetables. It combines forestry and agricultural practices to guarantee a sustainable and
highly productive approach to land use. The system mimics forest ecosystems found in nature and it's designed to
comprise multiple layers of food forests. It includes perennial plants such as fruit trees, perennial herbs,
mushrooms, and other vegetables on the ground level and underground root vegetables. Compared to traditional
farming systems, agroforestry can double crop yields and significantly decreases the need for chemical fertilizers
or pesticide. Just like below, agroforestry in rice production.

Learning Tasks 1: Choose the letter of the best answer.

1. This is the cultivation of a single crop in large areas. Vast tracts of land are converted to rice farms, sugar farms, and coconut farms.
a. Water pollution b. Monoculture c. insecticide d. antibiotics

2. Farmers spray these chemicals to kill insect pests and weeds.

a. Water pollution b. Monoculture c. insecticide d. antibiotics

3. Continuous and uncontrolled use of ______________ may increase soil acidity, thus destroying soil structure.
a. Water pollution b. Chemical fertilizer c. insecticide d. antibiotics

4. It is clearing the Earth's forests on a large scale worldwide and resulting in many land damages. One of the causes of deforestation is to clear
land for pasture or crops.
a. Deforestation b. Chemical fertilizer c. insecticide d. antibiotics

5. Is the use of plastic mulch in agriculture. Farmers use plastic sheets as mulch to cover 50-70% of the soil and allow them to use drip irrigation
systems to have better control over soil nutrients and moisture.
a. Deforestation b. chemical fertilizer c. plasticulture d. Antibiotics

6. A huge amount of agricultural territory is used primarily as pasture for cattle and other livestock.
a. Grazing b. deforestation c. pesticide d. antibiotics

7. Antimicrobial resistant bacteria can move from farms to humans through food and airborne dust.
a. Grazing b. deforestation c. pesticide d. antibiotics

8. Resulting from conventional agricultural practices is wide-reaching, affecting both surface and groundwater sources, in agricultural
communities and those located downstream.
a. Water pollution b. Monoculture c. insecticide d. antibiotics

9. Influences social and environmental determinants of health, including air and water quality and food security. Agriculture and related activities
contribute significantly to climate change through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
a. Water pollution b. Monoculture c. climate change d. antibiotics

10. The gradual increase in the concentration of phosphorus, nitrogen, and other plant nutrients in an aging aquatic ecosystem such as a lake.
a. Water pollution b. Monoculture c. climate change d. eutrophication

11. Farmers can decrease the chances of plant and vegetable diseases through crop diversification on a surface of land and through crop
rotation techniques.
a. crop rotation b. agroforestry c. using renewable energy resources d. hydrophonics

12. Sustainable farming involves the use of alternative energy sources such as hydropower, solar power or wind farms which are eco-friendly.
a. crop rotation b. agroforestry c. using renewable energy resources d. hydrophonics

13. A farming method which involves growing shrubs and trees among other plants and vegetables.
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SCIENCE 8
Part 1 - MATERIAL CYCLES IN THE ECOSYSTEM
WEEK 7-8 Part 2 - IMPACT OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES IN
4th Quarter
AN ECOSYSTEM
Lesson
a. crop rotation b. agroforestry c. using renewable energy resources d. hydrophonics

14. Is a food production system which mimics how vegetables and plants grow in natural ecosystems.
a. permaculture b. agroforestry c. hydroponics d. crop rotation

15. Are innovative farming methods which involve soilless plant and vegetable growth, feeding the plants with nutrients which are carried by the
water.
a. permaculture b. agroforestry c. hydroponics d. crop rotation