Interaction Among Living Things

A group of year 6 pupils carry out an investigation to determine the effect of planting plants close to each other and further from each other. 

Pot A contains plants that are planted close to each other whereas Pot B contains plants that are planted further from each other. The plants are planted in two pots of the same size and filled with the same amount and type of soil. The plants in both pots are of the same species and received the same amount of nutrients and water. 

Figure 1 and Figure 2 show the condition of the plants after a few weeks.
 
1. Which plants show a better growth?
……………………………………………………………………………………
2. Why do the plants in pot A have poor growth?
……………………………………………………………………………………
3. What kind of interaction occurs among the plants in both pots?
……………………………………………………………………………………
4. What do the plants in both pots compete for?
……………………………………………………………………………………
5. What can be done to relieve the condition in Pot A?
……………………………………………………………………………………

COMPETITION
1.	Living things need basic things like food, shelter and protection in order to survive.
2.	Animals need food, water, shelter, space and mate or breeding partner.
3.	Plants need nutrients, water, space and sunlight.
4.	At times, these basic needs become limited or scarce. Therefore living things that live in the same habitat have to compete against one another.
5.	Competition is a form of interaction in which living things fight among themselves to obtain the same and limited resources that they need to survive.
6.	Competition can occur in living things of the same or different species.
7.	The competition and cooperation among living things will result in the balance in nature.

The hens are competing for the same food.

The deer and antelopes are competing for the same water source.

The trees and shrubs are competing for sunlight.

The byrophyllum seedlings are competing for nutrients, water and space.

COMPETITION

1.

Living things need basic things like food, shelter and protection in order to survive.

2.

Animals need food, water, shelter, space and mate or breeding partner.

3.

Plants need nutrients, water, space and sunlight.

4.

At times, these basic needs become limited or scarce. Therefore living things that live in the same habitat have to compete against one another.

5.

Competition is a form of interaction in which living things fight among themselves to obtain the same and limited resources that they need to survive.

6.

Competition can occur in living things of the same or different species.

7.

The competition and cooperation among living things will result in the balance in nature.

The hens are competing for the same food.

The deer and antelopes are competing for the same water source.

The trees and shrubs are competing for sunlight.

The byrophyllum seedlings are competing for nutrients, water and space.