HBL 24/5/11

In Term 2 Week 10, we had our Home-based learning. For science, we covered on Ecology, about the different relationships between organisms in an Eco-system. In short, this Home-based learning was fun, interesting and at the same time, useful.

Even though Ms Nada have briefly gone through these key concepts in class (such as predation, mutualism etc.), I am still not very good in working with these articles and identifying the respective relationships. Therefore, this Home-based learning was a great chance for me to really get hold of the basic concepts and also acts like a recap for the upcoming tests. Furthermore, I also had a better understanding and can now give examples of the types of relationships as in this activity we were told to describe the relationship of other creatures.

Personally, I actually enjoyed this home-based learning the most, as it was impactful and yet I am able to complete it in the short 1 hour period and do not have to spend quite some time like other subjects. I feel that having more of these kind of home-based learning is really good, and can really aid us in our understanding better.

Answers:

Q2. Since the Amazonian trees ants live only in the Hirtella physophora and the Amazon regions faces deforestation, deforestation will cause a decrease in the number of Hirtella physophora. This will also cause a gradual decrease in these ants as there would be more difficulty in finding places where they can inhibit and also decreasing the number of resources to build their traps, to capture their prey.

Q3(a).

Mutualism : The relationship between the ants and the plant host.

The plant provides ant with shelter and resources to construct the trap while the ants protect the plant host using their traps to protect the plant against parasitic insects and plants.

Commensalism : The relationship between the ants and the mould.

The ant makes holes in the platform and put in places pieces of sooty mould, which would quickly grow around the structure and reinforce it. On the other hand, the mould get nothing in return.

Predation : The relationship between the ants and their prey.

The ant prey on their insect and kills them. With one side benefiting, the other party suffer.

Q3.(b)

Mutualism : Clownfish and sea anemone.
The examples of mutualism include the sea anemones and hermit crab. The sea anemones give protection to the crab using its stinging cells, and it remoulds its shell to fit the crab while the hermit crab allows the sea anemones to consume the remains of its food, thus it also provides the sea anemones with food supply, which makes it a relationship beneficial to both.

Commensalism : Tree frog and plants living on trees

The tree frog uses the plants on trees for protection from the rain, and the plants are not affected at all.

Predation : Lion and deer
The lion eating the deer.