6

SCIENCE (SSES)
Guided Learning Activity Kit
Interactions Among Living Things and
Non-Living Things in Tropical Rainforest
Quarter 2- Week 6

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Science (SSES) – Grade 6
Guided Learning Activity Kit
Interactions Among Living Things and Non-living Things in Tropical Rainforest
Quarter 2- Week 6

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Guided Learning Activity Kit Development Team

Writer: Conrado B. Soler Jr.
Editors: Jeniffer A. Gonzales
Marlyn P. Ajoste
Reviewer: Marlyn P. Ajoste
Graphic Artist: Marlyn P. Ajoste

Management Team: Leonardo D. Zapanta EdD, CESO V

Michelle Ablian-Mejica EdD
Manolito B. Basilio EdD
Evelyn D. Tarrayo EdD
Garry M. Achacoso
Rachelle C. Diviva

Printed in the Philippines by Department of Education

Region III
Schools Division of Zambales
Zone 6, Iba, Zambales
Tel./Fax No. (047) 602 1391
E-mail Address: zambales@deped.gov.ph
Website: www.depedzambales.ph
 INTERACTIONS AMONG LIVING
THINGS AND NONLIVING THINGS
IN TROPICAL RAINFOREST

Introduction

Have you heard about the Amazon Forest in Latin America? How about
our very own Palawan Rainforest? Have you ever wondered what living and
non-living things exist in a forest and what kind of interactions exists between
them?

A forest ecosystem is the basic ecologic unit in a particular forest that

exists as "home" for a community of both native and introduced classified
organisms. It is defined by all the collective living inhabitants of that forest
ecosystem that co-exist together in symbiosis to create a unique ecology.
("Understanding Forest Ecosystems and Biodiversity" 2020). One of the types
of forest ecosystem is Tropical Rainforest. Tropical rainforests have distinct
characteristics that support a wide variety of different species. This means
that they have a high biodiversity

In this guided learning activity kit, we will explore the wonders and
beauty of Tropical Rainforests. We will also dig deep into the different
interactions that are present in Tropical Rainforests.

Learning Competency

Discuss the interactions among living things and non-living things in

tropical rainforests.

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 Objectives

At the end of Guided Learning Activity Kit you are expected to:

1. describe a tropical rainforest;

2. describe the interactions among living things and nonliving
things in tropical rainforest; and
3. explain why interactions of organisms are important in an
ecosystem.

Review

Directions: Study the ecosystem below. List down the

biotic(living) and abiotic(non-living) components that you can see in the
ecosystem.

Biotic Component Abiotic Components

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 Discussion

Let us discuss some of the known and most important ecosystem

around us.

Look at the image below. This is an example of tropical rainforest

ecosystem.

Tropical Rainforest are composed mostly of tall trees and extensive

foliage cover. They are regions with year-round warmth and abundant
rainfall, and occupy six to seven percent of Earth’s surface. They produce a
large percentage of the needed oxygen on Earth. Rainforests are also
estimated to house more than half of the world’s plant and animal species,
most of them still uncovered.
The type of soil in rainforests varies from region to region, but most of
the time it is acidic and infertile because heavy rains wash away the nutrients.
However, the falling leaves and other organic matter replenish the nutrients
in the soil continuously, and these nutrients are quickly absorbed by plants
and soil-dwelling animals before they washed away (Sarte. et al 2016).
Rainforest grow in four major layers: 1. the emergent layer; 2 the
canopy layer; 3. the understory; and 4. the forest floor. The image below
shows the different layers of tropical rainforest.

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 The emergent layer, with the tallest
trees that tower above all the plants, control
how much light and water reach the lower
layers. The emergent trees are 130 to 180
feet tall. They have small and pointed
leaves, and long and straight trunks with
few branches. Woodpeckers, hawks, eagles
and other animals visit this layer to munch
on leaves.
The canopy has tall slender tress
from a dense platform of vegetation with 60
to 130 feet off the ground. The trees here
are still growing and eventually become
part of the emergent layer. Epiphytes, like vines, ferns and other plants form
the thick roof. Animals that inhabit the canopy are spiders, lemurs, monkeys,
sloths, toucans, orangutans, and parrots.
The understory rises to about 60 feet and consists of trunks of canopy,
shrubs, small plants, and trees. Animals in this layer have adapted to become
nocturnal animals. These animals sleep during daytime and become active at
nighttime to hunt or scavenge for food. Examples are night monkeys, bats,
spotted cats, clouded leopards, and emerald tree boa.
The forest floor is in deep shade, and plant life is thin. The light from
the sun is blocked by the upper layer of the forest. Most of the life here consist
of fungi, insects, worms, and litter from taller trees that fall on the forest floor.
Larger animals like jaguars and tigers live here. Elephants and gorillas are
also common visitors to the floor of the rainforest. Tropical rainforests have
some of the largest rivers in the world, like the Amazon because of the
tremendous amount of precipitation their watersheds receive. In addition to
rivers, rainforests have conventional, free-standing lakes, streams and
swamps formed when a river changes course. These lakes are home to species
adapted to the quiet, stagnant conditions.

The Philippines is one of the countries with tropical rainforest because

of its tropical location and the amount of rainfall it receives over 200 cm a
year. Diverse animal and plant species abound in this ecosystem. Numerous
large trees such as acacia, lauan, narra, guiho, ilang-ilang, and many more
which are endemic in the country thrive in this ecosystem.

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 Species of orchids, ferns, palm plants, rattan, giant bamboo bromeliads
and other small and large plants are also found in this ecosystem. Animals
such as crocodiles, species of snakes, deer, wild pigs, wild cats, antelope,
orangutans and other big and small animals also live in this place. Many
species of birds such as hornbills, pigeon, parrot and eagle also abound in
the tropical rainforest ecosystem. Thousands of insects such as ants and
butterflies are also found in the rainforest. When the land is suitable
for agriculture, crops citrus fruits, oil palms, rubber and bananas are
cultivated.

Interactions in Tropical Rainforests

The stability of an ecosystem depends in large part on the successful

interrelationships of organism in regard to food. Such interrelationships form
what is known as the food web, which has four primary parts:
1. The nonliving or abiotic components (such as oxygen, nitrogen,
organic compounds, and sunlight).
2. The producers (plants that produce their own foods from nonliving
components through photosynthesis).
3. The consumers (organisms-mostly animal- that feed on the
producers). Herbivores eat plants and carnivores eat animals.
4. The decomposers (organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, that
break down the dead producers and consumers and return the raw
materials to the nonliving parts of the ecosystem).

Food Chain and Food Web

A food web is made up of many interrelated food chains. A food chain
represents the transfer of food energy from plants (which unlike animals,
manufacture their own food through the process of photosynthesis) through
the series of organisms, each of which feeds on the one before it in the food
chain. For instance, a leaf is eaten by an aphid, which is eaten by a spider,
which is eaten by a bird, which is eaten by a snake.

leaf aphids spider bird snake

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 Look at the image above. In this food web, the lion does not limit its
diet to jackal, it also eats wild cats. The wild cat eats other animals other than
the mouse; mouse eats plant, and so on. If the population of the mouse
decreases, the wild cat and the owl population are affected. Similarly, if the
plants decrease, the animals are dependent on them are affected.
Ways Living Things Interact
Organisms interact in the ecosystem to form various relationships.
These relationships are essential to a healthy ecosystem.

Relationship Description Example

Mutualism

Two organisms living Ants and Aphids.

together wherein both Ants guide aphids to
benefit from each fresh leaves for feeding.
other In addition, the ants
defend the aphids
against predators.

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Commensalism
Interaction between Orchid and Trees.
two species in which The orchid makes its
one organism benefits own food and do not
while the other take anything from
organism is neither tress. They simply use
benefited nor harmed the trees for exposure to
get much-needed
sunlight.

Competition

Organisms compete The different plants and

for the same needs trees in the forest
such as food, shelter, compete for nutrients.
or mate They also compete for
sunlight.

Parasitism
Relationship wherein Phorid fly and leaf-
one organism benefits cutter ants.
from the other, while When the leaf-cutter
the other organism is ants are gathering
negatively affected leaves, the phorid flies
and oftentimes attack them and lay
harmed. their eggs on the
crevices of the ant's
head.
Predation The consumption of
one living organism,
plant, or animal by Snake feeding on rat
another. It is also
known as predator-
prey relationship

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 Activities

Guided Practice 1
Directions: Complete the crossword puzzle using the clues below.

DOWN ACROSS
1. It is composed mostly of tall trees and 6. It has tall slender tress from a dense
extensive foliage cover. They are regions platform of vegetation with 60 to 130 feet
with year-round warmth and abundant off the ground.
rainfall, and occupy six to seven percent of 7. It is in deep shade, and plant life is thin.
Earth’s surface.
8. It is one of the countries with tropical
2. Living component of an ecosystem. rainforest because of its tropical location
3. It has the tallest trees that tower above and the amount of rainfall it receives over
all the plants, and it controls how much 200 cm a year.
light and water reach the lower layers. 9. It is defined as the complex of a
4. Nonliving component of an ecosystem. community of organisms and its
5. It rises to about 60 feet and consists of environment functioning as an ecological
trunks of canopy, shrubs, small plants, unit.
and trees. 10. Tropical rainforest produce a large
percentage of the needed ___________ on
Earth.

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Guided Practice 2
Directions: Complete the graphic organizer. Draw example of interaction of
organisms in tropical rainforest and describe each.

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Independent Practice

Directions: Read and analyze the story below. Answer the guide questions
that follow.

Nothing Exists Alone

by: Jeniffer A. Gonzales and Conrado B. Soler Jr.

Several years ago, in a tropical rainforest in Luzon, Ambo together with

his family lived near a lake where he often fished and swam. He became
interested in the life of the forest and he began to study his environment
including the lake, nearby meadows and woods.

Ambo soon learned that tawilis, carp fish, ar-aro swam in the lake and
that many kinds of plants, including reeds and water lilies grew in the water.
The boy looked more carefully and found large numbers of dragonets (bunog)
and other tiny fishes. Birds, wild pigs and deer came to the lake to drink. The
animals made their homes in the woods.

One day he found a blacksnake, which he knew was harmless. He had

read that blacksnakes eat field mice, pests that eat farmer’s grain. The boy
found mice living in the meadow. He also discovered many insects, including
grasshoppers and butterflies.

The longer he watched the lake, woods and meadow in the forest, the
more he realized how all organisms (living things) that made their homes there
depended on each other. The snake could not have lived in the meadow if no
mice were nearby. The mice needed grain and seeds from farms and gardens.
The deer and other animals needed the woods and the lake water. And the
fish too depended on the lake.

Ambo realized that all the creatures in the forest lived together in a
community, just as the people of a town form a community. Every living thing
is surrounded by air, water and soil. Every living thing takes things from its
surroundings—its environment—and leaves other things. Truly, no living
things can exist alone!

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Guide Questions:
1. Describe the ecosystem that Ambo and his family lives.
2. What are the biotic and abiotic components in an ecosystem that Ambo
found?
3. Make a food chain using the organisms found in the story.
4. What kind of interaction(s) did Ambo discovered in his ecosystem?
Explain.
5. Ambo realized that all the creatures in the forest lived together in a
community. In your own words, explain why no living things can exist
alone.

Assessment

A. Directions: Select the letter of the correct answer.

1. In a tropical rainforest ecosystem, which organisms produce its own
food?
A. lions B. trees C. snakes D. monkey
2. In which layer of the rainforest will you find a sloth?
A. canopy B. emergent C. understory D. forest floor
3. Big cats like tigers and lions compete for their food in the forest. What
kind of relationship is this?
A. predation B. mutualism C. competition D. commensalism
4. The following are the characteristics of tropical rainforest EXCEPT.
A. Rainforest ecosystem is characterized by a thick lush carpet of
vegetation with diverse animal species.
B. Rainforest produce a large percentage of the needed oxygen on
Earth.
C. Rainforest occupy six to seven percent of Earth’s surface.
D. Rainforest ecosystem can be found in the seashore.
5. Which group of plants and animals are found in the tropical rainforest?
A. fruit-bearing trees, ornamental plants, dogs, chickens
B. moss, water lilies, algae, fishes, crabs, sharks, whale
C. tall trees, ferns, orangutan, anaconda, eagle
D. tall trees, grasses, carabao, cows, goats

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6. Frogs use plants as their shelter. The frogs are benefited, while the plants
neither affected nor harmed. What kind of relationship is this?
A. commensalism B. competition C. mutualism D. predation
7. What relationship shows predation?
A. lion eating zebra B. frogs living on leaf
C. ants protecting aphids D. orchids dwelling on trees
8. Squirrel lives on the tree for protection from predators and shelter
without harming the tree. What kind of relationship is this?
A. predation B. mutualism C. competition D. commensalism
9. Deer allow birds to eat bugs off their fur. In this way, deer can get rid of
the insects on their bodies, while birds derive their food from them. What
kind of relationship is this?
A. predation B. parasitism C. mutualism D. commensalism

10. The tick stays and feeds on the nutrients in the deer. In this process,
the deer may get an infectious disease from the tick. The tick sucks in
nutrients from the deer and harms it. What relationship does it shows?
A. predation B. parasitism C. mutualism D. commensalism

Reflection

Directions: Complete the following statements.

I have learned that:
1. A tropical rainforest is _________________________________________________.
2. The four layers of the tropical rainforest are
__________________________________________________________________________.
3. The interactions present in a tropical rainforest are
__________________________________________________________________________.
4. The difference between food chain and food web is
__________________________________________________________________________.
5. All organisms must interact with each other because
__________________________________________________________________________.

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 References

Castante – Padpad, Evelyn,Apolinario, Nenita, Gil Nonato C. Santos, Ph.D.2015, The

New Science Links 6, Worktext in Science and Technology, Sampaloc, Manila:
Rex Printing Company Inc.

Allas, Ian Mark F., Espinosa, Allen A., Lorenzo, Aloysius D., Navarette, Bonifacio V.,
Maramag, Cerilina M., Revilla, Antom V., Bautista, Claribelle J., Mulig,
Charity I., 2013, Discover Science 7 K to 12 Edition, Makaty City: DIWA
LEARNING SYSTEM INC.

Sarte, Evelyn T., Garcia, Ednaliza R., Lopez, Eliza A., Dela Cruz, Mary Jean G.,
Arradaza, Harold A., Lilia M. Rabago PhD, 2016, Science Beyond Borders 6,
Quezon City: Vibal Group Inc.

"Ecosystem- Structure, Functions And Types Of Ecosystem". 2020. BYJUS.

https://byjus.com/biology/ecosystem/.

Gonzales, Jeniffer A. and Soler, Jr. Conrado B. Unpublished Text

"WORLD RAINFOREST DAY — CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SOCKS".

2020. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SOCKS.
https://www.criticallyendangeredsocks.com/blog/2018/6/22/world-
rainforest-day.

"Rainforest - (Information + Facts) - Science4fun". 2020. Science4fun - Learn

Science Experiments, Topics, Ideas And Activities.
https://science4fun.info/rainforest/.

Willis, Katy. 2020. "Ants Farming Aphids & What To Do About It". Real Self-
Sufficiency. https://realselfsufficiency.com/ants-farming-aphids/.

"Symbiotic Relationships". 2020. Tropical Rainforest.

https://kaitlynmitchell.weebly.com/symbiotic-relationships.html.

"How To Get Your Snake To Eat Frozen Mice And Other Prey". 2020. The Spruce
Pets. https://www.thesprucepets.com/feeding-snakes-frozen-mice-
1239476.

profile, V., 2020. Food Chains And Food Webs. [online]

Teachermatthew203.blogspot.com. Available at:
<http://teachermatthew203.blogspot.com/2011/10/food-chains-and-food-
webs.html> [Accessed 24 November 2020]

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Jearwattanakanok, A., 2020. The Flower Issue. [online] ayuwat. Available at:
<https://ayuwat.wordpress.com/2014/04/24/the-flower-issue/> [Accessed
25 November 2020].

2020. https://www.canva.com/teams/members.

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GUIDED PRACTICE 1 INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
1. Answer may vary
2. Answer may vary
3. Answer may vary
4. Answer may vary
5. Answer may vary
GUIDED PRACTICE 2
Key to Corrections
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REFLECTION ASSESSMENT
1. Answer may vary 1. B
2. Answer may vary
3. Answer may vary 2. A
4. Answer may vary
3. C
5. Answer may vary
4. D
5. C
6. A
7. A
8. D
9. C
10. B
 Acknowledgment

The Schools Division of Zambales would like to express its heartfelt gratitude
to the following, who in one way or the other, have contributed to the successful
preparation, development, quality assurance, printing, and distribution of the
Quarter 2 Guided Learning Activity Kits (GLAKs) in all learning areas across grade
levels as a response to providing the learners with developmentally-appropriate,
contextualized and simplified learning resources with most essential learning
competencies (MELCs)-based activities anchored on the principles of guided learning
and explicit instruction:

First, the Learning Resources (LR) Development Team composed of the writers
and graphic artists for devoting much of their time and exhausting their best efforts
to produce these indispensable learning kits used for the implementation of learning
delivery modalities.

Second, the content editors, language reviewers, and layout evaluators

making up the Division Quality Assurance Team (DQAT) for having carefully
evaluated all GLAKs to ensure quality and compliance to DepEd standards;

Third, the Provincial Government of Zambales, for unceasingly extending its

financial assistance to augment the funds for the printing of these learning resources
for use by learners and parents at home;

Fourth, the teacher-advisers and subject teachers, in close coordination with

the school heads, for their weekly distribution and retrieval of the GLAKs and for
their frequent monitoring of the learners’ progress through various means; and

Finally, the parents and other home learning facilitators for giving the learners
the needed guidance and support for them to possibly accomplish the tasks and for
gradually helping them become independent learners.

To deliver learning continuity in this challenging circumstance would not be

possible without your collective effort and strong commitment to serving our
Zambaleño learners.

Again, our sincerest thanks!

The Management Team

 For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education – Region III - Schools Division of Zambales

Learning Resources Management Section (LRMS)
Zone 6, Iba, Zambales
Tel./Fax No. (047) 602 1391