10

Science
Quarter 3 - Modules 7 - 8:
Weeks 7- 8
ECOSYSTEM: BIODIVERSITY

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Department of Education ● Republic of the Philippines

Science - Grade 10
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 3 - Module 7-8: ECOSYSTEM: BIODIVERSITY
Second Edition, 2021

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Published by the Department of Education – Division of Cebu City
Schools Division Superintendent: Rhea Mar A. Angtud, CESO V

Development Team of the Module

Writer/Compiler: Mary Ann D. Bacalso, Cebu City National Science High School

Content Editors:

Dr. Deogenes R. Adoptante, Principal I, OPRRA National HS

Mrs. Arnolfa A. Demellites, Principal I, Sirao Integrated School
Dr. Florenda G. Yap, Assistant Principal, Apas National HS
Mr. Neil Adrian A. Angtud, School Head, Sinsin National HS

Language Editor:

Mrs. Wilma Y. Villaflor, Principal III, Don Vicente Rama Memorial ES

Management Team:

Dr. Rhea Mar A. Angtud, Schools Division Superintendent

Dr. Bernadette A. Susvilla, Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Mrs. Grecia F. Bataluna, CID Chief
Dr. Raylene S. Manawatao, EPS-Science
Mrs. Vanessa L. Harayo, EPS-LRMDS

Printed in the Philippines by

Department of Education – Division of Cebu City
Office Address: Imus Avenue, Cebu City
Lesson
ECOSYSTEM: BIODIVERSITY
1
What I Need to Know

Hello students. How are you? In the previous module, 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. You will become aware of the different human activities that have a
negative impact on the environment and think of ways to help protect and conserve
the biodiversity in your community.

Biodiversity describes how varied life forms are in different ecosystems. The
Philippines is known for its very rich biodiversity. According to the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in 2014, “The country has more than
52,177 described species of which more than half is found nowhere else in the
world.” On a per unit area basis, the Philippines harbors more diversity of life than
any other country on the planet. But our country is also considered as a biodiversity
hotspot, because it is continuously experiencing an alarming rate of environmental
destruction like damage of coral reefs, forests, and other similar important
resources.

Do you know how important biodiversity is?

How does the diversity of species increase the probability of adaptation and
survival of organisms in a changing environment?

What is the relationship between population growth and carrying capacity?

Let’s find out the answers to these questions in this module.

 What I Know

Let’s see what you know so far about the topic. Answer the questions that follow.
Choose the letter of the best answer. Write your answers on a separate sheet of
paper.

1. What do you call a community of organisms that live, feed, and interact with the
environment?

A. Population
B. Ecosystem
C. Organization
D. Carrying capacity

2. Biodiversity is defined as

A. a factor that controls the growth of a population

B. a constant increase in the number of populations
C. the variety of life forms in a particular ecosystem
D. the ability of an ecosystem to be self-regulating and again become steady
after a disturbance

3. Population growth in which there is a constant increase in the number of

organisms

A. Logistic growth
B. Normal growth
C. Abnormal growth
D. Exponential growth

4. Population growth in which the growth rate decreases with increasing number of
organisms, until it becomes zero when the population reaches its carrying capacity
is referred to as

A. Logistic growth
B. Normal growth
C. Abnormal growth
D. Exponential growth

5. What is population density?

A. Measurement of population per unit area

B. Measurement of the area where organisms live
C. Measurement of the actual number of individuals
D. Measurement of the kinds of organisms in an area
6. The human population is growing at an exponential rate. What does this mean?

A. There is a decreasing number of humans.

B. The birth rate of humans is greater than the death rate.
C. The death rate of humans is greater than the birth rate.
D. The number of humans in the population is the same.

7. The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is considered an endangered

species. What does this mean in terms of the birth rate and death rate of Philippine
eagles?

A. There is an increasing number of Philippine eagles.

B. The birth rate of Philippine eagles is greater than the death rate.
C. The death rate of Philippine eagles is greater than the birth rate.
D. The number of Philippine eagles in the population is the same.

8. The maximum number of individuals that an environment can support is termed

A. Population
B. Ecosystem
C. Organization
D. Carrying capacity

9. Based on the graph, what is the carrying capacity of the rabbit population?

A. 5
B. 60
C. 65
D. More than 65

10. Based on the graph above, what have you noticed about the rabbit population
between mid-May to mid-June?

A. There is a slow growth in the rabbit population between

mid-May to mid-June.
B. There is a rapid growth in the rabbit population between
mid-May to mid-June.
C. There is no growth in the rabbit population between
mid-May to mid-June.
D. Cannot be determined
 What’s In

In the previous lesson, you learned how evolution through natural selection can
result in biodiversity.

Can you recall what the concepts in evolution are? Write your answers in the
table below.

WORD DIAGRAM YOUR TEXTBOOK

DEFINITION DEFINITION

1.
Evolution

2. Fitness
3.
Adaptation

4. Survival
of the
Fittest

5. Natural
Selection

6.
Homologous
Structures
 What’s New

Biodiversity is a term that describes how varied organisms are in a specific area.
Organisms are part of biodiversity and may be economically and ecologically valuable. Their
products are sources of food, medicine, clothing, shelter, and energy. These organisms are
also important in maintaining balance in the ecosystem as they perform their specific roles.
Some species maintain the quality of natural bodies of water, some prevent soil erosion and
floods, cycle minerals in the soil and absorb pollutants. Others feed on insects and pests
which control the population of organisms in a certain environment, thus making the
ecosystem balanced and stable.

The values of species can be divided into various categories:

1. Direct economic value

The species is said to have direct economic value if their products are sources of food,
medicine, clothing, shelter, and energy. For example, some medicines being used nowadays
have formulations extracted from plants or animals. Vinblastine and vincristine are two
chemicals that have been extracted from the rosy periwinkle or “tsitsirika” and are used in
chemotherapy for Hodgkin’s disease and some forms of cancer like leukemia. Another
common plant, “lagundi”, is extracted for cough syrup production.

Figure 1. Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus)

 Figure 2. Lagundi (Vitex negundo)
(Photo Credits: stuartxchange.org)

2. Indirect economic value

A species has an indirect economic value if there are benefits produced by the
organism without using them. For example, certain species maintain the chemical quality
of natural bodies of water, prevent soil erosion and floods, cycle materials in the soil, and
absorb pollutants. The extensive root systems of the cattail plant (humay-humay in
Bisaya) are used in stabilizing wet banks of rivers and lakes. Several studies also noted
the ability of cattails to treat wastewater.

Figure 3. Cattail plant (Typha capensis)

(Photo Credits: stuartxchange.org)

3. Aesthetic value

A lot of species provides visual or artistic enjoyment, like a forested landscape

and the calming beauty of a natural park; or they may be used for spiritual
meditation like the Prayer Mountains.

Now it’s your turn to classify the value of biodiversity in an ecosystem. This will
let you appreciate more the importance of the living things found in your community.
 ACTIVITY 1
CLASSIFYING THE VALUE OF BIODIVERSITY

Think of a forested area in your community. List down the organisms found in
that area and describe the value of these organisms. Classify the value by putting
a happy face on the space under the correct column. Then, think about how you
can help conserve them.

Table 1. Organisms and their value

CATEGORY OF VALUE WAYS TO
HELP
ORGANISM VALUE Direct Indirect Aesthetic CONSERVE
economic economic value THEM
value value
Example: Freshen the Stop
Trees air indiscriminate
cutting
Source of of trees
lumber

Biodiversity is very important because it sustains the flow of energy, the food
web on earth and contributes to environmental stability. Stability of an ecosystem
is described as the resilience to withstand changes that may occur in the
environment. There are many changes in the environment which may be a result
of natural or human activities. These changes may severely reduce biodiversity
and result to the instability of the ecosystem.

Now that you appreciated the importance of biodiversity, let’s examine how the
population of organisms in an ecosystem affects biodiversity.
 What Is It

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF POPULATION GROWTH

A population is a group of organisms of the same species that live in a certain

area. Ecologists regularly monitor the number of organisms in many populations.
Why do they do this? Why should we care if the number of organisms in an area
is increasing or decreasing?

Populations that are growing or diminishing can be indicators of potential

problems in the organisms’ environment, and such conditions alarm ecologists if
something is going wrong. Ecologists need to know why the number of organisms
is increasing or decreasing. Why is a population’s size increasing or decreasing?

There are many factors that can cause a population’s size to change. Any
population, whether it be that of humans, animals, the mold growing on bread, or
the bacteria living in your intestines, will grow if more organisms are being
developed (Genetically modified organisms) ,or born, than are dying. The number
of births in a population is called the birth rate (natality). The number of organisms
that are dying in a poulation is called the death rate (mortality). Thus, if the birth
rate is greater than the death rate, a population will grow. If the mortality rate is
greater than the birth rate, a population will decrease.

While populations would probably continue to grow in size, a population of

organisms cannot grow forever. Its growth will be limited or stopped at some point,
and the death rate will be greater than the birth rate. A population’s growth is limited
by two general factors: density-independent factors and density-dependent factors.

Population density refers to the number of organisms per unit area. If a

population’s density is very high, it means there are many organisms crowded in a
certain area. If a population’s density is low, that means there are few organisms
in an area.

If a population’s density does not directly influence changes in a population’s

growth, then it is called a density-independent limiting factor. A factor that regulates
a population’s growth and is influenced by population density is called density-
dependent limiting factor.

Density-independent limiting factors that can stop a population from growing

can be such things as natural disasters, temperature, sunlight, and the activities of
humans in the environment. Natural disasters such as tropical cyclones, floods,
earthquakes, and fires will stop a population from growing no matter how many
organisms are living in a certain area. The same goes for the temperature of an
area and the amount of sunlight it receives. If the temperature increases due to
global warming, this will cause a decrease in a population’s numbers, no matter
how large or small the population was to begin with. Human activities that alter the
environment will also decrease the number of organisms in a population,
regardless of the size of a population.
 Density-dependent limiting factors come into play when a population reaches
a certain number of organisms. When a population reaches a certain size, there
won’t be enough resources (food, shelter, water) for all organisms. This could
cause the population to stop growing when it reaches the maximum number of
organisms that can be supported or “carried” by the environment. This number is
known as the population’s CARRYING CAPACITY in a particular environment.
Carrying capacity is determined by the amount of available resources. Each
population of organisms has a different carrying capacity.

Figure 4. Carrying capacity of a population

Before a population reaches its carrying capacity, it experiences a period of

rapid growth. This period of growth is called exponential population growth. During
this period, there are plenty of resources available for all organisms, so more births
are recorded than deaths in organisms.

Figure 5. a) Exponential growth b) Logistic growth

(Source: cnx.org)

When resources are unlimited, populations exhibit exponential growth,

resulting in a J-shaped curve. When resources are limited, populations exhibit
logistic growth. In logistic growth, population expansion decreases as resources
become scarce, and it levels off when the carrying capacity of the environment is
reached, resulting in an S-shaped curve.
 LIMITING FACTORS THAT DEPEND ON POPULATION DENSITY

1. Diseases and parasites – Infectious diseases and parasites spread faster in

dense populations. For example, the risks of contracting COVID-19 is greater in
densely populated areas than sparsely-populated areas.

2. Competition for resources – Organisms with better adaptations to obtain food

and other resources will be able to reproduce more often, and its population will
grow. The organisms that have limited abilities to compete for the resources will
not reproduce as often, may not be fit enough to live long, and can cause their
population to decrease.

3. Predation – If plenty of prey are available, predators will be able to eat

sufficiently, thus have energy to reproduce much, and increase their numbers. The
population of their prey will decrease as more and more of them are eaten.
However, the predator population will eventually reach carrying capacity – there
will not be enough prey for all the predators, since the predators themselves
compete for their “prey” resource. As the number of prey decreases, so will the
number of predators because there is not enough food to sustain them.

4. Emigration – Emigration occurs when individual organisms leave and go to a

new area where they can find enough resources for survival and reproduction. This
will obviously cause a decrease in the number of organisms in a population.

ACTIVITY 2
DEPENDENT OR INDEPENDENT?

A. Read each situation in the table below. State if it is a density-independent limiting factor
or a density-dependent limiting factor. Indicate the specific limiting factor that is occurring.

DENSITY-
SITUATION INDEPENDENT OR LIMITING FACTOR
DENSITY-
DEPENDENT?
1. Mrs. Rosales has 55 students in her
class, but she has room for 50. Because
the room was crowded, the 5 students were
asked to go to the curriculum chairperson
to change their schedule.
2. Dinoflagellates in Laguna de Bay
increase in population due to the increase
in organic substances in the body of water
brought by water pollution.
3. The oil spill in Cavite area harmed many
aquatic organisms in the vicinity.

4. A new strain of Dengue virus breaks out

in the country.

5. Super typhoon Yolanda caused many

residents to leave Leyte.
 6. The population of wild boar decreases
because of deforestation.

7. An increase in the population of house

lizards in Brgy. Labangon causes a
decrease in the population of mosquitoes.

B. Cause and Effect. Read the causes on the left side of the table, then predict and write the
possible effect on the right side.

CAUSE EFFECT

1. Statistics show that the number of babies

born per day is double the number of deaths
per day.

2. The Palawan government creates more

improvised breeding areas for the
endangered marine turtles and coral reef fish
in their area.

3. Sharks are hunted and killed for their fins.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND ISSUES IN OUR COUNTRY

The Philippines is considered as one of the biologically richest countries in the world
because of its high biodiversity at various levels. Our country has both aquatic and terrestrial
ecosystems, and there are many endemic species, meaning a lot of native species of flora
and fauna can only be found here.

We have all these rich natural biological resources but we have not truly protected them.
We are losing this global heritage due to habitat destuction, overuse and pollution. As our
forests are destroyed at a fast rate, the natural habitats which are dwelling places of plant and
animal speices are also lost. Our coral reefs, where the fish lay eggs, are badly damaged by
destructive fishing methods like muro-ami, dynamite and fine nets fishing. In addition, people
hunt animals, collect plants, sell corals and other exotic animals for livelihood, and other
acitvities that cause the population of these organisms to decrease at a fast rate. Hence, our
country is also noted in the world as a hot spot for conservation and protection of species.

The rate of development in some parts of the country is extraordinary. The natural
landscape has been changed by tall buildings, establishments, housing projects,
expressways, railway systems and overpasses. Other reclaimed areas have been converted
into industrial structures and technoparks.
 What I Have Learned

GENERALIZATION
What I Can Do
Now, let’s sum up the concepts you learned in this module.

• Biodiversity benefits people in many ways. It can be of economic, ecological, or

aesthetic value.

• Greater biodiversity promotes a more stable ecosystem.

• The more recent loss of biodiversity has been attributed primarily to human
activities such as overfishing, overhunting and loss of habitat.

• Population growth gives us an idea of how fast a population changes over time.

• Population growth can be affected by density-independent or density-dependent

limiting factors.

• Carrying capacity is the maximum number of organisms that an environment can

support.

• The population of a species will increase until it reaches its carrying capacity.

• Changes in the habitat cause an increase or decrease in biodiversity.

• Humans have a responsibility in maintaining a clean and healthy state of the

ecosystem.

APPLICATION

You may have observed landscape changes taking place in your community. How do
these changes affect the biodiversity in your locality?

Analyze the pictures below. WHAT POSSIBLE PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES COULD
ARISE FROM THESE ACTIVITIES?
1. Farmlands are converted into housing projects.

(Photo Credits: britannica.com)

2. Rivers are dumped with garbage from illegal settlers and toxic wastes from industries.

(Photo credits: sunstar.com.ph)

3. Use of dynamites in fishing

(Photo credits: desdemonadespair.net)

 Assessment

Directions: Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. Write

the letter corresponding to the correct answer.

1. The Philippines is very rich in marine resources like coral reefs. How do we
conserve the coral reef ecosystem?
A. Use fine nets in fishing
B. Promote it as an ecotourism destination
C. Collect corals as souvenir items for tourists
D. Collect coral fishes and sell them to pet shops

2. How do we conserve the resources in a hilly land ecosystem?

A. Turn it into a jogging area

B. Convert it into an industrial site
C. Get our lumber needs from this area
D. Build a community where houses are built among the trees

3. How should our rainforests be used to conserve its resources?

A. Advertise it as a camping site.
B. Convert it into an industrial site.
C. Get only minor forest products.
D. Cut the trees into logs and make timber.

4. Cocolisap infestation outbreak has been declared in some parts of the

Philippines. The cocolisap feeds on the sap of the coconut trees and inject toxic
enzymes, resulting in discolored leaves and deformed plant tissues that retard the
growth of the coconut tree. This results to a decreasing survival rate of coconut
trees. Which of the following limiting factors limit the population of coconut trees?

A. Emigration
B. Predation
C. Diseases and parasites
D. Competition for resources

5. Davao is known for its wide variety of fruits and other plant species that make
it more attractive to tourists. Which of the following classification of value of
biodiversity is described?

A. Ethical / cultural value

B. Direct economic value
C. Indirect economic value
D. Both A and B
For questions 6 – 8, study the graph below.

6. What type of population growth is shown by Paramecium aurelia (alone) in the

graph above?

A. Normal growth
B. Logistic growth
C. Exponential growth
D. None of the above

7. What can you infer about the graph?

A. Paramecium caudatum shows exponential growth.

B. The graph is an example of a density-independent limiting factor.
C. The population of P. caudatum decreases while the population of P.
aurelia increases when they are grown together.
D. The graph shows that an increase in the population of P. caudatum
causes a decrease in the population of P. aurelia when they are grown
together.

8. Which of the two organisms is better adapted to competition?

A. P. aurelia
B. P. caudatum
C. Both of them
D. None of them

9. Which of the following causes a decreasing wildlife population in most of the

places in our country?

A. Loss of habitat
B. Loss of limiting factor
C. Loss of carrying capacity
D. Loss of natural disturbances
10. A person breeds guinea pigs in a cage. After a few generations, the breeder
observes that the guinea pigs are more aggressive towards each other, the
young are less healthy and more young guinea pigs die. What do you think will
happen to the population of the guinea pigs?

A. The population will increase.

B. The population will decrease.
C. The population is not affected.
D. The population will remain the same.

11. The human population is growing at an exponential rate. Since a population

cannot grow infinitely, what will happen if the human population reaches its
carrying capacity?

A. The human population will increase.

B. The human population is not affected.
C. The human population will be the same.
D. The human population will stop increasing.

12 – 15. Fill in the differences of the terms in the chart below.

Density-dependent limiting factor Density-independent limiting factor

Logistic population growth Exponential population growth

 Answer Key

Pre-test
1. B Ecosystem
2. C Variety of life forms in a particular ecosystem
3. D Exponential growth
4. A Logistic growth
5. A Measurement of population per unit area
6. B Birth rate of humans is greater than the death rate
7. C Death rate of eagles is greater than the birth rate
8. D Carrying capacity
9. C 65
10. B Rapid growth in the rabbit population

ANSWERS TO THE ACTIVITIES:

Activity 1
Students may give varied answers in this activity.

Activity 2
DEPENDENT OR INDEPENDENT?

DENSITY-
SITUATION INDEPENDENT OR LIMITING FACTOR
DENSITY-
DEPENDENT?
1. Mrs. Rosales has 55 students in her
class, but she has room for 50. Because Density-dependent Emigration
the room was crowded, the 5 students were
asked to go to the curriculum chairperson
to change their schedule.
2. Dinoflagellates in Laguna de Bay
increase in population due to the increase Density-dependent Resources
in organic substances in the body of water
brought by water pollution.
3. The oil spill in Cavite area harmed many
aquatic organisms in the vicinity. Density-independent Human activities

4. A new strain of Dengue virus breaks out

in the country. Density-independent Human activities

5. Super typhoon Yolanda caused many

residents to leave Leyte. Density-independent Natural disaster
 6. The population of wild boar decreases
because of deforestation. Density-independent Human activities

7. An increase in the population of house

lizards in Brgy. Labangon causes a Density-dependent Predation
decrease in the population of mosquitoes.

CAUSE EFFECT

1. Statistics show that the number of babies There will be an increase in the human
born per day is double the number of deaths population.
per day. There will be a shortage of resources.
More food demand in a limited supply.
2. The Palawan government creates more
improvised breeding areas for the The population of marine species will
endangered marine turtles and coral reef fish increase.
in their area.

3. Sharks are hunted and killed for their fins. Shark population will decrease and become
endangered.

REFERENCE

Department of Education. Bureau of Secondary Education. “SCIENCE GRADE 10

LEARNER'S MATERIALS (PDF): DEPEDK12.COM: FREE DOWNLOAD.” 12,
July 3, 2019. https://www.depedk12.com/2019/07/science-grade-10-learners-materials-
pdf.html.
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