CHAPTER 4

INTERDEPENDENCE
AMONG LIVING
ORGANISMS AND THE
EVIRONMENT
1
4.1 Interdependence among living
organisms
1. A species is a group of the same
kind of organisms with common
characteristics.
2. A population refers to the group of
organisms of the same species
living and reproducing in a defined
area.
3. A community is made up of different
populations of organisms living
together in a habitat.
2
5. An ecosystem consists of plants,
animals and the non living
environment.
ecosystem= living organisms + non
living environment
= community + habitat
6. A habitat is a place where an
organisms lives
7. Non living organisms in an
environment include air, water,
sunlight and soil. 3
 Carbon dioxide
Photosynthesis Sun

Respiration
Plant
Food
Oxygen
Absorption

Rat

Minerals Death

Food
Death
Decomposition
Snake
Bacteria and fungi
Death

figure
4.1
4
8. Refer to figure 4.1 the
interdependence among living
organisms and the environment
creates a balanced ecosystem.
During respiration, living organisms
take in oxygen and give out carbon
dioxide.
During photosynthesis, plants take in
carbon dioxide and give out oxygen.
Plants make food using carbon dioxide
from air and water from the soil with
the help of light energy from the sun
and chlorophyll in their leaves.
5
2 Interaction between living organism
Types of interaction
1. Prey-predator
(a) predator - animals that hunt other animals for food.
(b) prey - the animals being hunted.

2. Symbiosis
(a)commensalism - a relationship between two organisms such that
one benefits fro it while the other neither benefits nor is harmed by it.
(b)mutualism an association between two organisms such that both
sides benefits from the relationship.
(c)parasitism association between two organisms such that one
organisms benefits and the other is harmed.

3. Competition
an interaction among organisms competing for the same basic needs.
6
1. Interaction between living organisms is important
as it helps to maintain the size of populations in
an ecosystem. Hence, this will maintain a
balanced ecosystem
2. In any ecosystem, when a population grows too
big, the organisms of the same species will
complete among each other for their basic needs
3. Some will die and this will reduce the size of the
population and maintain a balanced ecosystem
4. Biological control is the control of pests by the
introduction of their natural enemy
examples of biological control
(a) fishes(predator)eat the larvae(prey)of
mosquitoes in the pond
(b) owls(predator)eat the rats(prey)in the oil
palm estates 7
5. The advantages of using biological control are
- the population of crop pests can be
controlled
- it is free from pollution
- other populations are not affected
- it is cheap to maintain
6. the disadvantages of using biological control
are
- the time taken to control the pests is long
- the predator may escape and upset the food
chain
- the increase in the number of predators may
become a nuisance to the community, such
as the crow problems in klang
8
 4.3 Food web
1. Producers are green plant that produce their
own food by photosynthesis
2. Consumers are organisms that eat other
organisms as food
3. A primary consumers is usually a herbivore and
feeds on plants
4. A secondary consumer feeds on the primary
consumers
5. A tertiary consumer feeds on the secondary
consumers
6. Decomposers are organisms that breakdown
dead plants and animals into simpler
substances like nitrates. They are made up of
bacteria and fungi 9
7. A food chain is series of living
organisms arranged such that each
organisms feeds on the one below it
inplants
the series Animals
(produces) (consumers)

Death

Excretory waste

Nitrates Decomposers

8. Food wed is made up of two or

more interconnected food chains 10
9. Pyramid of numbers is a diagram
showing the relative number of
organisms at each level of aSnake
food chain
(tertiary
Consumer)

Frog
(secondary consumer)
Grasshopper
(primary consumer)
Grass
(producer)

10.The amount of energy transferred

from one level to the higher level in a
pyramid of numbers decrease
11.Some energy is lost as heat
11
12.If there is a drastic change in any of
the populations of living organisms
in the ecosystem, it will upset the
whole ecosystem
Plants

Sparrow Grasshopper Butterfly Pigeon

Frog

Snake 12
13.If the population of the grasshopper
in figure increase
= the population of frog will
increase
= the population of snake will
increase
= the population of plants will
decrease
14. When one population in the food
web is mising, decrease or increase,
the food web will be imbalanced. It
will take a long time for the
13
 4.4 Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process of making food
by green plants ( producers ).
Chlorophyll (green pigment) in leaves absorb
light energy from the sun.
In the presence of sunlight and chlorophyll,
green plant use water and carbon dioxide to
make food i the form of glucose. Oxygen is
released.
Plant need light, chlorophyll, carbon dioxide
and water for photosynthesis. Photosynthesis
will not take place if any of the factors is
absent.
14
 The oxygen cycle
- oxygen is released during photosynthesis
- oxygen is used up during respiration by plants
and animals
- oxygen is used up during decomposition by
micro-organism.
- oxygen is used up during burning of fuels.
respiration
Oxygen
respiration

photosynthesis

Plants Animals
combustion
decomposition Of fuel

Carbon dioxide
photosynthesis

15
 The carbon cycle
- carbon dioxide is released during
respiration, combustion and
decomposition.
- carbon dioxide is removed from the
air during
photosynthesis photosynthesis.
Carbon dioxide in the air

respiration

combustion
Animals
Green plants

decomposition

Fossil fuels
decomposition
16
 4.5 Evaluating the Importance of
Conservation and Preservation of
Living Organisms
Conservation means maximizing the
use of natural resources with the
least disturbance to the living
organisms and their environment.
Preservation refers to the measures
taken to maintain living organisms
and the environment in their natural
balanced state.

17
 Steps taken to conserve and preserve living
organisms :
- Build more centres for the endangered species
to reproduce.
- Establish more forest reserves and national
parks.
- Controlling deforestation and extensive fishing.
- Recycling.
- Enforce laws to control logging activities
- Enforce laws on the protection of wildlife.
- Increase public awareness on its importance
through education.

18
 The importance of conservation and
preservation of living organisms:
- Maintain natures balance
- Preventing extinction of endangered
species
- Helps to promote eco-tourism.

19
4.6 Role of Man in Maintaining the
Balance in Nature
The effects of human activities on the
balance in nature:
- Change of global climate
- Destruction of habitat
- Extinction of species
- Air, soil and water pollution
- Deforestation
- Over usage of land
- Over fishing
20
 Steps taken to solve problems
related to environment:
- Establish more forest reserves and
replant trees
- Do not pollute the air, soil and
water as the pollutants are harmful
to the organisms
- Enforce laws on illegal hunting
- Support wildlife preservation
21