10

Science
Quarter 3 - Week 7
Module 7: Ecosystem:
Biodiversity

AIRs - LM
Science 10
Quarter 3 - Week 7 - Module 7: Ecosystem: Biodiversity
First Edition, 2021

Copyright © 2021
La Union Schools Division
Region I

All rights reserved. No part of this module may be reproduced in any

form without written permission from the copyright owners.

Development Team of the Module

Author: Anacleto L. Arquero

Editor: SDO La Union, Learning Resource Quality Assurance Team

Illustrator: Ernesto F. Ramos, Jr., P II

Management Team:

Atty. Donato D. Balderas, Jr.

Schools Division Superintendent
Vivian Luz S. Pagatpatan, Ph.D
Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

German E. Flora, Ph.D, CID Chief

Virgilio C. Boado, Ph.D, EPS in Charge of LRMS

Rominel S. Sobremonte, Ed.D, EPS in Charge of Science

Michael Jason D. Morales, PDO II

Claire P. Toluyen, Librarian II

 Target

In the previous module you have learned about how fossil records,
comparative anatomy, and genetic information provide evidence for evolution. Also,
you learned how evolution through natural selection can result in biodiversity.

In this module, you will learn how biodiversity can influence the stability of
an ecosystem and the relationship between population growth and carrying capacity
of a specific environment.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Explain how species diversity increases the probability of adaptation
and
survival of organisms in changing environment (S10LT-IIIh-41); and
2. Explain the relationship between population growth and carrying
capacity (S10LT-IIIi-42)
Specifically, you should be able to answer the following questions:
1. What is biodiversity?
2. What are the levels of biodiversity?
3. How does biodiversity affect the stability of an ecosystem?
4. What are the limiting factors that affect population growth?
5. How does population growth affect the carrying capacity of an ecosystem?
6. How do human activities affect the environment?

Pre-Test
Multiple Choice. Read and analyze each question then select the letter of the best
answer from among the given choices. Write your answer on the space provided.

1. What do you call a discrete group of organisms of the same kind?

A. Column B. Community C. Genes D. Species

2. What is the significance of species diversity?

A. Species never interact with the environment
B. Species interact with their environment and thus perform certain functions
C. Though species interact with the environment they DO NOT perform any
functions
D. Species minimize interaction with their environment and thus perform
certain
functions

3. What is the definition of biodiversity?

A. the study of biology in the jungles
B. the study of biology in a university
C. biochemicals in the field of science
D. the variety of species in the environment
4. What type of population growth is shown in the graph?
A. exponential growth B. initiation growth
C. logistic growth D. normal growth

5. Which ecosystem is richest in biodiversity?

A. desert B. temperate forest
C. temperate grassland D. tropical rainforest

6. What are three levels of biodiversity?

A. genes, cells, traits
B. mutation, disorder, regression
C. species, genetic, and ecosystem
D. water, land, mountains

7. Which is NOT a potential threat or danger to biodiversity?

A. exotic species B. gene pool diversity
C. habitat destruction D. pollution

8. What is the correct term used when there is declining number and variety of the
species in an area?
A. developed nation B. loss of biodiversity
C. supply and demand D. sustainability

9. What are two human actions that adversely affect life and biodiversity?
A. deforestation and pollution
B. farming and working in the factories
C. raising animals on farms and eating them
D. weather and natural disasters

10. What is a mass extinction?

A. benefit to the environment
B. disappearance of many species
C. rapid increase in biodiversity
D. result of an exotic species

11. A certain town reached the maximum number of squirrels that its environment
can sustain. What is that number called?
A. Carrying capacity
B. Environmental capacity
C. Full capacity
D. Half capacity

12. What is the carrying capacity of the graph?

A. Less than 500
B. Around 500
C. More than 500
D. Around 600
13. Which is a biotic factor that affects consumers in an ocean ecosystem?
A. number of autotrophs B. temperature variation
C. salt content D. pH of water

14. In December 2004, a tsunami destroyed many of the marine organisms along the
coast of the Indian Ocean. What can be expected to happen to the ecosystem that
was severely hit by the tsunami?
A. The organisms in the ecosystem will become extinct.
B. Ecological succession will no longer occur in this marine ecosystem
C. The ecosystem will change until a new stable community is established.
D. Succession will continue in the ecosystem until one species of marine
organism is established.

15. Which graph represents a population that grew and is maintained at the
carrying capacity of its ecosystem?

A. B.

C. D.
 Lesson Biodiversity
1

Jumpstart

Activity 1.1 Pick and Bind

Objective: Construct a sentence to define biodiversity

Direction: Pick at least four words from the box below which you think
related to biodiversity and form them into complete sentence.
Underline those words in your sentence.

Ecosystem Plants Animals Living

Environment Nature Ocean Nonliving

Organisms Varied Species Terrestrial

Genetic Adaptation` Location Aquatic

Living Non-living Earth Area

Biome Biosphere Biotic Abiotic

Write the sentence in the box below.

 Discover
Biodiversity

Source: https://nature.ca/education/_doc/biodiversite-fiche_eleve_e.pdf

The term biodiversity comes from the words biological and diversity, and
it means "the variety of life on Earth". It describes how varied living things are in a
specific area. Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms from all sources
including terrestrial and aquatic systems and the ecological complexes of which they
are a part; diversity within species, among species, and of ecosystems; interactions
at all levels among organisms. It also refers to the interrelatedness of genes, species,
and ecosystems and in turn, their interactions with the environment.

There are three levels of biodiversity, Genetic diversity, Species diversity and
Ecosystem diversity. Genetic diversity refers to the variation of genes within the
species. Species means a group of individuals that can breed with one another, give
birth to fertile offspring and which cannot breed within other groups. For example,
a “Bulldog” and a “German Shepherd” are dogs that belong to the same species, they
can breed with each other and produce an offspring. Whereas dogs can NOT breed
with cats because they are of two different species.
Species diversity refers to the number of different species present in a specific
location and the relative proportions of the species present. For example, all species
of animals, plants, microorganisms, fungi etc. found in the forest.
Ecosystem diversity refers to all the different habitats, biological communities,
and ecological processes, as well as variation within individual ecosystems. For
example, the different interacting ecosystems.

Figure 1.1 Three levels of biodiversity

Source: https://www.slideshare.net/vjcummins/measuring-biodiversity-53714954
 This Lecture of Kim Preshoff at TED-Ed shows a thorough idea about the
meaning, processes, cause and effect, and importance of biodiversity. Read and
understand the text.

“Our planet’s diverse,

thriving ecosystem may seem like
permanent fixtures, but they are
actually vulnerable to collapse.
Jungles can become deserts and
reefs can become lifeless rocks.
What makes one ecosystem strong
and another one weak in the face of
change? The answer to a large
extent is biodiversity.

Source: https://www.slideshare.net/vjcummins/measuring-biodiversity-53714954

Biodiversity is built into three intertwined features – Ecosystem diversity,

Species diversity and Genetic diversity. The more intertwined there is among these
features, the denser and more resilient the web becomes.

The amazon rainforest is one of the most biodiverse regions on earth due to
its complex ecosystems, huge mix of species and the genetic variety among those
species.

Let us visualize the flow of energy in a rainforest. An entangled vine crawl up

from the forest floor to the canopy, intertwining with treetops and growing thick, with
stems that support these towering trees. Help along by the vines, trees provide the
fruits, seeds and leaves to herbivores that disperse their seeds throughout the forest
so that they can grow. Leftovers are consumed by millions of insects that decompose
and recycle nutrients to create rich soil. …..

The rain forest is a huge system filled with many small systems. Each packed
with interconnected species. Every link provides stability to the next, strengthening
biodiversity’s web, that web is further reinforced by the genetic diversity of the
individual species which allows them to cope with changes. Species that lack genetic
diversity due to isolation or low population number are much more vulnerable to
fluctuations caused by climate change, disease, or habitat fragmentation. Whenever
a species disappears because of weakened gene pool, a knot is untied, and parts of
the net disintegrate.

So, what if we were to remove one species from one rain forest, will the system
fall apart? Probably NOT, the volume of species, their genetic diversity and the
complexity of the ecosystem form such rich biodiversity in the forest, that one species
gap in the web will not cause it to unravel. The forest can stay resilient and recover
from change because of adaptation.

But that is NOT true in every case, in some environment, taking away just one
important component can undermine the entire ecosystem. Take coral reefs for
instance, many organisms in a reef are dependent on the coral, it provides key
microhabitat, shelter, and breeding ground for thousands of species of fish,
crustaceans, and mollusks. Corals also form interdependent relationships with fungi
and bacteria. The coral itself is a loom that allows the tangled net of biodiversity to
be woven, that makes coral a keystone organism, one that many others depend on
for survival.

So, what happens when destructive fishing practices, pollution and ocean
acidification weaken coral or even kill it altogether? ---- Exactly what you might
think, the lost of these keystone species leads its dependents at a lost too,
threatening the entire fabric of the reef. Ecosystem, Species and Genetic diversity
together form the complex tangled web of biodiversity that is vital for the survival of
organisms on earth.

We humans are into this biodiversity too. When just a few strands are lost,
our own well being is threatened. Cut too many links and we risk unraveling it all.
What the future brings is unpredictable, but biodiversity can give us insurance
policy, Earth’s own safety net to safeguard our survival. “

Explore

Here are some enrichment activities for you to work on to

master and strengthen the basic concepts you have learned
from this lesson.

The following are measures used to determine biodiversity, also known as

Biodiversity Indices
Species Richness refers to the number of species in a particular place.
Species Evenness refers to the extent to which individuals are distributed
evenly among species.
Relative Abundance refers to the number of individuals in a species divided
by the total number of all species.
Simpson’s Index combines measures of species richness and species
evenness.

Activity 1.2 Which Ecosystem is More Diverse?

Objective: Measure the richness, evenness, and relative abundance of species in a

community.
Calculating Biodiversity Indices
Ecologists use biodiversity indices to determine if a community or ecosystem is
diverse viz; species richness, relative abundance, Shannon-Weiner Index, species
evenness, and Simpson Index. Ecologists will use more than one index to calculate
the level of diversity. In this activity, we will use species richness and relative
abundance.

Example
Community 1:
Species Richness = 4
Relative Abundance of Species A = 5/20 = 25%
Relative Abundance of Species B = 5/20 = 25%
Relative Abundance of Species C = 5/20 = 25%
Relative Abundance of Species D = 5/20 = 25% Figure 1.3
Community 2:
Species Richness = 4
Relative Abundance of Species A = 16/20 = 80%
Relative Abundance of Species B = 1/20 = 5%
Relative Abundance of Species C = 1/20 = 5%
Relative Abundance of Species D = 2/20 = 10%
Figure 1.4
1. Calculate the species richness and relative abundance for each of the following
communities.

Community A
Species Name Number of Individuals Relative Abundance
Acacia 300
Narra 298
Yakal 350
Total # of Species = Species Richness =

Community B
Species Name Number of Individuals Relative Abundance
Acacia 35
Apitong 12
Narra 309
Yakal 78
Total # of Species = Species Richness =

Community C
Species Name Number of Individuals Relative Abundance
Acacia 450
Apitong 475
Balete 402
Narra 423
Yakal 435
Total # of Species = Species Richness =
2. Rank each of the communities in order of least to greatest Species Richness.
Rank Community
1
2
3

3. Rank each of the communities in order of least to greatest Relative Abundance in

relation to the other communities.
Rank Community
1
2
Guiding Question: Which community is most diverse?
3
Claim: Community _______ is most diverse because

Evidence: Reasoning:

3. Rank each of the communities in order of least to greatest Species Evenness.

Rank Community
1
2
3

4. Develop a CER (Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning) to determine which community

is most diverse.
 Deepen

Activity 1.3 Understanding Biodiversity

Objective: Correctly explain biodiversity

1. What do you understand about biodiversity based on the lecture of Kim

Preshoff?

2. What is the best measure of biodiversity? Underline your answer

Is it
• the total number of species in an area
• the even distribution of species across that area
• whether or not rare species are present
• whether or not the species have different “functions” in the ecosystem

3. What happens when people use dynamite-fishing in the ocean?

4. Are Rare species more important to conserve than common ones?

 Gauge

Direction: Answer the question below based on science. Make it short but complete
and correct.
Explain how species diversity increases the probability of adaptation and survival of
organisms in changing environment.
 Lesson Population and Carrying Capacity
2
Jumpstart

Activity 2.1 Population Growth

Objective: To study and analyze a given graph and answer related questions.
Rapid population growth is one of the key features of the modern world and
provides key evidence for the idea of acceleration. In this activity, you will study and
analyze the nature and patterns of human population growth over the last 10,000
years. This will help you understand the differences between population growth
before and after the Modern Revolution.

Figure 2.1

Carefully study the population chart in figure 2.1 then answer the following
questions

1. How would you describe human population growth in the first 5,000 years?

2. How would you describe human population growth in the next 5,000 years?

3. When did the most dramatic rise in human population begin and how does this
population rise compare to earlier ones?
 Discover
Population

Population (N) is a group of individuals of the same species, occupying a

defined area, and usually isolated to some degree from other similar groups . There
are factors that cause population to change such as Birth Rate (BR) - the number of
births, Death Rate (DR) – the number of deaths, Immigration (I) - the movement into
a population, and Emigration (E) – the movement out of a population. These factors
may either increase or decrease the population. If BR and I are greater than DR and
E, then the population will increase, conversely, if BR and I are lesser than DR and
E, then the population will decrease.

There are factors which limit population growth such as, Competition,
Predation, Parasitism & Disease, Natural Disaster and Usual Weather. They can be
classified as Density-Dependent Factor (DDF) or Density-Independent Factor (DIF).
DDF depends on population size, the denser the population is, the greater the
occurrence of competition, predation, parasitism and disease. DIF on the other hand
affects all populations regardless of population size and density. Whether the
population is dense or NOT, when natural disaster or unusual weather comes, the
population is affected or reduced. It does NOT depend on the size of the population.

Population size

Can be limited by

Competition Natural Disaster

Predation Unusual Weather

Parasitism and
Disease

Density-Dependent Factor Density-Independent Factor

DDF DIF

Figure 2.2

Carrying Capacity
 Carrying Capacity (K) refers to the maximum number of individuals of a
particular species that the environment can support for an extended period. It
represents the population number of individuals the environment can support.
Carrying capacity may be stable for a certain period, however the K for many species
is always changing due to various factors. These factors can be the number of
resources available in the ecosystem; size of the population; and number of resources
everyone is consuming.

Carrying capacity can also have a broader meaning. It can be defined as the
number of living things (plants and animals) any area of land or water can support
at any one time. Different organisms will have different carrying capacities in the
same area. Thus, the carrying capacity of an ecosystem affects everything that lives
in it.
The populations of most living things tend to fluctuate naturally around a
certain level. That level is the carrying capacity. The following is a graph of a
population at the carrying capacity of its ecosystem.

Logistic Growth
Carrying Capacity
(K)
Population
Size (N) Decline
Exponential Growth

Initial Growth Extinction

Time
Figure 2.3

In figure 2.3, The graph shows the movement of the Population (N), which is
represented by the curve line in relation to carrying capacity of a certain area. If
resources are high and population is low then from the initial growth, the population
increases rapidly it will undergo exponential growth this forms a J-shaped curve.
When it approaches K, resources start to deplete, and population exhibits logistic
growth. In logistic growth, population expansion decreases as resources become
scarce, leveling off when the carrying capacity of the environment is reached,
resulting in an S-shaped curve. The curve line may even go beyond the carrying
capacity, but it does NOT go any further, then it starts to fluctuate around K due to
depletion of resources. Depletion of resources is caused by limiting factors such as
competition, predation, disease plus natural calamities. In some locations where
resources are rapidly decreasing then N starts to decline and if resources are
completely depleted it may lead to Extinction of species.
 Explore

In figure 2.4, What is the approximate carrying capacity between 1978 and
1993? What about between 1993 to 2001? How do we determine from the graph the
value of K?
Recall that carrying capacity is the maximum population size a certain
environment can support for an extended period. In the graph, the carrying
capacity is represented by the horizontal broken arrow. There are two carrying
capacities, one is between 1978 and 1993, the other is between 1993 and 2001. Take
note that the K is approximately located at the middle of fluctuations NOT at the
peak of the curve line. So, to determine the approximate location of the K, draw a
horizontal line across the midpoint of the “distinct” fluctuations between the time
frames. The value of carrying capacity differs from one timeframe to another.

This is NOT the K

K1 for 1978 to 1993

Approximately
equal to 180,000

K2 for 1993 to 2001

Approximately
equal to 110,000

Figure 2.4

Activity 2.2 Describing Carrying Capacity

Objectives: Describe the carrying capacity of an ecosystem

Figure 2.5
For Graph A

1. What is the carrying capacity (approximate)?

2. Approximately during which year did this population reach the carrying capacity
of its ecosystem?

3) About how many years did it stay at the carrying capacity?

FOR GRAPH B:

4) What are the carrying capacities of this graph?

5) How many years did this population spend at the first carrying capacity?

6) During which year did it reach the next carrying capacity?

7) Which carrying capacity is more stable? Why do you think so?

Deepen

Activity 2.3 Interpreting Carrying Capacity

Assuming you are a park ecologist who has just received environmental
monitoring data in the form of graphs from your field technician. You now have to
determine what is happening to the populations of a number of species in your park.
Look at each of the following graphs and see if you can describe the story they
are telling. What is happening to the populations and carrying capacity for each?
Confer with your fellow ecologist and brainstorm to come up with reasons behind the
story of the graph. Be ready to share and defend your reasons with all the other
ecologists in the park.

Graph 1

Figure 2.6
Write your answer in the box.

Graph 2

Figure 2.7
Write your answer in the bo
 Gauge

Direction: Answer the question below based on science. Make it short but
complete and correct.

Explain the relationship between population growth and carrying capacity.

Post Test
Multiple Choice. Read and analyze each question then select the letter of the best
answer from among the given choices. Write your answer on the space provided.
1. What do you call a discrete group of organisms of the same kind?
A. Column B. Community C. Genes D. Species

2. What is the significance of species diversity?

A. Species never interact with the environment
B. Species interact with their environment and thus perform certain functions
C. Though species interact with the environment they DO NOT perform any
functions
D. Species minimize interaction with their environment and thus perform
certain functions

3. What is the definition of biodiversity?

A. the study of biology in the jungles
B. the study of biology in a university
C. biochemicals in the field of science
D. the variety of species in the environment

4. What type of population growth is shown in the graph?

A. exponential growth
B. initiation growth
C. logistic growth
D. normal growth
5. Which ecosystem is richest in biodiversity?
A. Desert B. temperate forest
C. temperate grassland D. tropical rainforest

6. What are three levels of biodiversity?

A. genes, cells, traits B. mutation, disorder, regression
C. species, genetic, and ecosystem D. water, land, mountains

7. Which is NOT a potential threat or danger to biodiversity?

A. exotic species B. gene pool diversity
C. habitat destruction D. pollution

8. What is the correct term used when there is declining number and variety of the
species in an area?
A. developed nation B. loss of biodiversity
C. supply and demand D. sustainability

9. What are two human actions that adversely affect life and biodiversity?
A. deforestation and pollution
B. farming and working in the factories
C. raising animals on farms and eating them
D. weather and natural disasters

10. What is a mass extinction?

A. benefit to the environment
B. disappearance of many species
C. rapid increase in biodiversity
D. result of an exotic species

11. A certain town reached the maximum number of squirrels that its environment
can sustain. What is that number called?
A. Carrying capacity
B. Environmental capacity
C. Full capacity
D. Half capacity

12. What is the carrying capacity of the graph?

A. Less than 500
B. Around 500
C. More than 500
D. Around 600
13. Which is a biotic factor that affects consumers in an ocean ecosystem?
A. number of autotrophs
B. temperature variation
C. salt content
D. pH of water

14. In December 2004, a tsunami destroyed many of the marine organisms along the
coast of the Indian Ocean. What can be expected to happen to the ecosystem that
was severely hit by the tsunami?
A. The organisms in the ecosystem will become extinct.
B. Ecological succession will no longer occur in this marine ecosystem
C. The ecosystem will change until a new stable community is established.
D. Succession will continue in the ecosystem until one species of marine
organism
is established.
15. Which graph represents a population that grew and is maintained at the
carrying
capacity of its ecosystem?

A. B.

C. D.
Answer Key
References
Book

Learner’s Module, K-12 Grade 10 Science (Third Quarter)

Acosta, Herma D., et al. Science - 10: Learner's Manual. First ed., Department of
Education, Philippines, 2015.

Oram R. F., Hummer P.J. Jr (1994). Biology Living Systems. Glencoe/ McGraw-Hill

Daniel L., Ortleb E. P., Biggs A. (1994). Merrill Life Science. Glencoe/ McGraw-Hill

Internet

https://www.slideshare.net/vjcummins/measuring-biodiversity-53714954

https://nature.ca/education/_doc/biodiversite-fiche_eleve_e.pdf

https://www.unesco.pl/fileadmin/user_upload/pdf/BIODIVERSITY_FACTSHEET.pdf

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/big-history-project/acceleration/the-
anthropocene/a/activity-population-growth

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/big-history-project/acceleration/the-
anthropocene/a/activity-population-growth