SCX 010: Environmental Science

Module #6 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Lesson Title: Differentiating the Varied Interactions Among Species Materials:

in an Ecosystem SAS
Learning Targets: References:
At the end of the module, students will be able to:
1. Determine the type of relationships that exist between two or more Oclay, Agnes D.2011. Basic
organisms. Principles in Environmental Studies.
Chrizam Printing Press. Dagupan City
2. Appreciate the benefit and the effects of species’ interactions in
the ecosystem.

A. LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW

Introduction

Interactions are inevitable in a population. A very popular adage states “No man is an island”.

In ecology, a biological interaction is the effect that a pair of organisms living together in
a community have on each other. They can be either of the same species (intraspecific interactions), or of
different species (interspecific interactions). These effects may be short-term, like pollination and predation, or
long-term; both often strongly influence the evolution of the species involved. A long-term interaction is called
a symbiosis. Symbioses range from mutualism, beneficial to both partners, to competition, harmful to both
partners. Interactions can be indirect, through intermediaries such as shared resources or common enemies.

Have you tried watching a deer being chased by a tiger in a movie? This scenario depicts a kind of
species interaction where one species is benefited (the stronger species - tiger) and the other is harmed (the
weaker species- deer). We call this kind of species interaction as predation. It is a relationship between the
predator (tiger) and the prey (deer). In predation, one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism,
its prey.

In this module, we will determine the other types of species interactions in the ecosystem and how these
interactions benefits and affects the stability of ecosystems.

B. MAIN LESSON

Content and Skill-Building

Biotic communities live and interact together. Interaction between different levels of organisms may
involve predation and competition.

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 SCX 010: Environmental Science
Module #6 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

In predation, one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. Predators
are adapted and often highly specialized for hunting, with acute senses such as vision, hearing,
or smell.

Do you know that there are different types of predators? These are as follows:
a. True Predator - an animal that hunts, kills and eats other animals or prey.
b. Parasitoidism – refers to an insect that lays its egg on a host (usually insect or spiders)
c. Parasite - spend most of its life living on another organism.
d. Herbivore - animal that eats plant ( grazers)

Competition, on the other hand is defined as an interaction between organisms or species, in

which the fitness of one is lowered by the presence of another. Competition is often for a
resource such as food, water, or territory in limited supply, or for access to females for
reproduction.

What do you call a competition among members of the same species?

Competition among members of the same species is known as intraspecific competition, while
competition between individuals of different species is known as interspecific competition.

According to Russian biologist G.F.Gause, the competitive exclusion principle ( Gauses’ principle), states
that species less suited to compete for resources should either adapt or die out. However, according
to evolutionary theory, this competition within and between species for resources plays a critical role
in natural selection.

In addition to the above interactions, there is also a symbiotic relationship that exists in an ecosystem.

Symbiosis is any type of a close and long-term biological interaction between two different
species or two different biological organisms. It can be mutualistic, commensalistic or
parasitic.

There are different kinds of symbiotic relationships. Can you name all of them? Can you differentiate
each of them?

Mutualism refers to the species living together in a close association that is helpful to both
species while parasitism is a relationship wherein the organisms derive its life from its host,
causing harmful effects and the parasite benefit from them.

Commensalism refers to an association between two organisms in which one benefits and the
other derives neither benefit nor harm while in amensalism one organism restricts the growth
of other organism .This phenomenon is known as allelopathy (in plants)/ antibiosis/ biological
antagonism.

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 SCX 010: Environmental Science
Module #6 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Neutralism describes the relationship between two species which interact but do not affect
each other. In here both species are unaffected.

From the statements above, which ones are positive interactions? Which ones are negative interactions?

Mutualism and commensalism are examples of positive interactions because one species is benefited
as a result of the interaction. Predation, competition and parasitism are negative interactions because
one species is harmed as a result of the interaction. Can you think of your own examples of positive and
negative interactions?

Ecological Insight:

“There is strength and stability in the unity of

differences.”

Exercise A.

INSTRUCTION: Looking at the above relationships, think of examples that would suit each item. The first one
is done for you.

Relationship Example Benefit/ harmed unaffected symbol

1. Predation Crocodile and chicken +,-
2. Mutualism
3. Commensalism
4. Amensalism
5. Parasitism
6. Competition

Exercise B.

INSTRUCTION: How well do you understand species interactions? Try the exercise below and see if you can
identify the different types of species interactions.

Relationship Description
11 1. neither benefits
2. one species benefits while one is harmed
3. where one species benefits while the other is unaffected
4. both species benefit
5. one species benefits while the other dies

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 SCX 010: Environmental Science
Module #6 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Check for Understanding

Instruction: Write the letter of your choice on the space provided before the number. Check your answers
against the Key to Corrections found at the end of this SAS. Write your score on your paper.

_____ 1. It refers to a relationship between species wherein the organisms derive its life from its host.
A. Amensalism B. Parasitism C. Parasitism D. Neutralism
_____ 2. Neutralism means ________.
A. both species are unaffected C. one organism benefits
B. situations are helpful in both species D. all species are having fun
_____ 3. It refers to an animal that hunts, kills and eats other animals or prey.
A. prey B. parasite C. predator D. grazer
_____ 4. The following are examples of herbivores, EXCEPT _________.
A. granivores B. competitors C. grazers D. browsers
_____ 5. It is an intraspecific competition that occurs on the same species.
A. Intraspecific B. International C. Interspecific D. Correlational

C. LESSON WRAP-UP

SUMMARY
Symbiosis is a close ecological relationship between the individuals of two (or more) different species.
Sometimes a symbiotic relationship benefits both species, sometimes one species benefits at the other's
expense, and in other cases neither species benefits.

Ecologists use a different term for each type of symbiotic relationship:

• Commensalism – where one species benefits while the other is unaffected.
• Mutualism – both species benefit.
• Parasitism – one species benefits while one is harmed.
• Competition – neither benefit
• Predation – one species benefits while the other dies, and
• Neutralism – both species unaffected.
FAQs

1. Which type of species interaction is evident in human populations?

Competition, specifically intraspecific competition is evident among the members of the human
population. Ecologically, human beings share the same resource, such as food, water and shelter, thus
we tend to compete for these resources for survival.

Thinking about Learning

Congratulations for finishing this module! Shade the number of the module that you finished.

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 SCX 010: Environmental Science
Module #6 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Period 1 Period 2 Period 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 P1 Exam 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 P2 Exam 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 P3 Exam

Did you have challenges learning the concepts in this module? If none, which parts of the module helped you
learn the concepts?

________________________________________________________________________________________

Some question/s I want to ask my teacher about this module is/are:

________________________________________________________________________________________

ANSWER KEY

Exercise A

Relationship Example Benefit/ harmed unaffected symbol

1. Predation Crocodile and chicken +,-

2. Mutualism Buffalo and red pecker +,+

3. Commensalism Mango tree and fungi 0, +

4. Amensalism Juglone and apple tree 0, -

5. Parasitism Human and ascaris -, +

6. Competition Lion and Tiger -, -

Exercise B.

Relationship Description
1.Competition neither benefits
2.Parasitism one species benefits while one is harmed
3.Commensalism where one species benefits while the other is
unaffected
4.Mutualism both species benefit
5.Predation one species benefits while the other dies

This document is the property of PHINMA EDUCATION

 SCX 010: Environmental Science
Module #6 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Activity 5: Check for Understanding

1. B

2. A

3. C

4. B

5. A

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