Interdependence Among Living Organisms
Interdependence Among Living Organisms
Interdependence Among Living Organisms
reproduce together in a habitat. For example: - A grassland may have a population of wild buffaloes and horses. - A pond may have a population of water weeds, tadpoles and fish.
live in the same area or habitat. For example: - The mangrove trees, mudskippers, crabs, prawns and many other organisms make up the mangrove community.
food and shelter in its habitat. Animals Caterpillar Tick Fish Crabs Termites Habitat Plants Bodies of mammals Seas, lakes or ponds Mangrove swamps Soil
species. At the same time, organisms interact with the non-living factors of the environment.
soil, on the ground, under stones and rocks, on the trees and in streams.
survival.
For example: - In a mangrove ecosystem, the crabs and mudskippers interact with other organisms such as trees and other plants, as well as physical factors such as the water level, amount of salt and sunlight.
10.
Examples of interdependence among living organisms and the environment to create a balanced ecosystem are as follows:
(a) Plants depend on water, sunlight and soil to grow (b) Animals eat plants as their food (c) Animals also eat other animals for food (d) When living organisms die, microorganisms decompose
their bodies
(e) Decomposed organisms give back nutrients to the soil (f) Plants use these nutrients for food
11.
This is achieved because the birth rate and the death rate of the species are similar.
(b) A constant composition and amount of gases in the
soil.
INTERACTION BETWEEN LIVING ORGANISMS Most of the interactions between living organisms are related to the need for food. Such interactions are prey-predator interaction, competition and symbiosis. PREY-PREDATOR INTERACTION - A predator is an animal that catches and kills another animal (prey). - The size of the prey population is affected by the size of the predator population and vice versa. COMPETITION
- Competition is an interaction in which two organisms compete for the same resources, such as food, space, light, water and mates. - Competition may exists between organisms of the same species or different species. SYMBIOSIS - Symbiosis is an interaction which may benefit only one, or both of the organisms involved. - The benefits involved may be in the form of food, shelter or protection.
- There are three types of symbiotic interactions: Commensalism is an interaction between two organisms, in which one benefits without harming or benefiting the other. Example: -The interaction between Remora and sharks. Remora attaches itself to the underside of a shark. Remora will pick the shark feeds. It will protected against harmed. up food scraps when
-The interaction between human beings and the bacteria living in the large intestine.
Parasitism is an interaction between two organisms which benefits one organism (the parasite) but harms the other (the host). Tape worm is a parasite that lives in its human host and absorbs the digested food in its hosts intestine.
An interaction which benefits both of the organisms involved is called mutualism. Mutualism occurs in lichens which consists of algae and fungi. The fungi provide the algae with water and minerals. The algae provide the fungi with food.
THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERACTION BETWEEN LIVING ORGANISMS Organisms need food and water to survive. For example, trees make food using sunlight, water and soil around them. Organisms need shelter and a certain range of temperature to survive. For example, tigers and tropical trees can only live in the tropical climate.
Forests help to contain floods and erosion, thus maintaining a stable environment around them.