📚 Topic Summary
In an ecosystem, various living things (organisms) need resources like food, water, sunlight, and space to survive. Because these resources are limited, organisms compete with each other. This competition can happen between members of the same species (like two squirrels fighting over a nut) or between different species (like a lion and a hyena competing for prey). The organisms that are better at obtaining these resources are more likely to survive and reproduce.
Understanding ecosystem competition helps us appreciate the delicate balance of nature and how different organisms are interconnected. It also allows us to predict how changes in the environment might impact different species and the ecosystem as a whole.
🧠 Part A: Vocabulary
Match each term with its correct definition:
| Term |
Definition |
| 1. Ecosystem |
A. A close and prolonged interaction between organisms of different species. |
| 2. Competition |
B. A community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. |
| 3. Resources |
C. The struggle between organisms for limited necessities. |
| 4. Symbiosis |
D. An organism that consumes other organisms. |
| 5. Predator |
E. Substances and materials needed by organisms for survival (e.g., food, water, sunlight). |
📝 Part B: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the paragraph using the words provided: sunlight, species, water, compete, resources
In an ecosystem, all living things need ________ to survive. Plants need ________ to perform photosynthesis, while animals need ________ and food. Because these necessities are limited, different ________ of organisms ________ for them, which can affect their survival.
🌍 Part C: Critical Thinking
Imagine a forest where a new species of fast-growing tree is introduced. How might this affect the existing plants and animals in the ecosystem?