Page 167 - Innovator's Science-8

How Components Depend on Each Other

• Plants need sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and soil nutrients to make
food.
• Soil provides support and minerals for plant growth.

• Air contains oxygen needed by both plants and animals for breathing.
• Water is necessary for all living beings.

This shows how biotic components depend on abiotic components.
But the relationship goes both ways. Abiotic components also rely on biotic

components.
• Plants release oxygen into the air during photosynthesis.

• Roots of plants hold the soil together and prevent erosion.
• Plants help retain moisture in the soil and keep the air cool.

Activity-4 Look around your surroundings and identify any ecosystem-whether it's a garden,
pond, or forested area. Observe the interactions between living and non-living
Experiential Learning
components, and notice how organisms depend on one another, especially for food
and survival.

Plants prepare their own food through a process called photosynthesis ,
using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water. Because they make their own
food, they are known as producers or autotrophs (auto = self, troph = food).

Organisms that cannot make their own food and rely on other living things
are called consumers or heterotrophs (hetero = other, troph = food).

Activity-5 Aim: To classify a forest ecosystem.
Take a close look at figure given below, which shows a forest ecosystem.
Experiential Learning
• Carefully observe the image and iden fy the different organisms shown.
• Refer to Table and look for the organisms listed there.
• Use books from your school library or search online to find out what each
organism cats.
• Then, fill in Table by marking whether the organism eats only plants, only
animals, or both.
Table : Ea ng Habits of Different Organisms

Feeds on Both
Name of the Performs Feeds on Plants/ Feeds on
Organism Photosynthesis Plant Products Animals Plants and/or
Animals
Deer No Grass and plant leaves No No
Zebra No Grass and hay No No
Vulture No No Yes No
Bengal Fox No Fruits, roots Small animals Yes
Bird No No Insects, birds No

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Science-8