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Editor's Note

In-A-Relationship
Sarah Mae D. Consolacion




The environment is a complex structure of different intertwining species. This species play as actors for the environment’s development and fertilization allowing it to flourish and produce more. In this context, the actors have to be in constant touch with each other so they may perform their apparent responsibility more efficiently. Hence, they are permanently in-a-relationship.
       Notice how much comfort do plants give to the world. A part from their being so beautiful physique, they aid human through food production, cleaning the air and protecting them from devastating calamities like food. In order to do this, plants ought to multiply themselves so as to answer their basic purposes of existence. Their manner of conduction is through producing nectar containing- flower extremely attractive to insects and other interested animals like birds. Once these animals made a contact to the plant in the aim of sipping its nectar or gorging its beautiful flower then made another contact to a different plant species right after, pollination through the transfer of pollen from one plant to another take place. Hence, the plants had perpetuated its kind.
                Let’s not overlook however the mechanism that took place in the process of perpetuation. When a bee for instance, settles in the flower of plants to sip its nectar, relationships have been turned on. We call this the commensalism-mutualism relationship. Since settling of the bee on the flower doesn’t harm the plant at anyway, but rather makes the plants be able to pollinate through the transfer of its pollen to another plant, so goes the name of relationship. It’s basically well understood in this line: “I’ll benefit from you, I won’t give you harm but profits instead.”
                In some partnerships however, there is only one species who gains the advantage. The phenomenon is called parasitism. The lice and human association is a good representation of this. In the aim of perpetuating the lice’s kind as well as securing its nourishment, it resides to human’s head and sips all the nutrition it can. This however causes jeopardy in the part of the host. The lice’s residing on his head costs him/ his blood and vital nutrients the disturbance to the parasite caused whenever the head.
                Competition is in addition of vital interaction for survival. In here, species both of similar and different kind struggle for some if not every necessary resource available. The plant in the virgin forest for instance compete for space, and even light from the sun. This due to the very thick canopy which makes sunlight enables to penetrate deep-down the forest.  
                Finally, predation where the strongest and most cunning dominates while lower forms are engulfed marks another cardinal mechanism of species survival. In this context, prey which is hunted by its predators has to exert all the efforts he can to escape and save his life. Meanwhile, the predator has to employ the best strategy he can so as not to let the prey vanish.
                Nature had indeed so many ways of putting itself into order. Of all the interaction that exists, one vital principle stands at the centerpoint. That is, every species has to be in constant relationship with another species in order to allow life normally run and hence be balance. 

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Mutualism

On Mutual Benefits
Scott Gil C. Clara



                 An ecosystem is where living and non-living things interact with one another. Plants, animals, and the other living things live in and get there from the environment. Plants make their own food. They do this with sunlight, water, nutrients, and carbon dioxide. The food that they manufacture is also used by other living organisms to sustain life. The environment as a whole is the home of all their living things. Earth indeed one big ecosystem.
                Organisms interact with one another in many different ways. When organisms live in close association with one another, they are said to have a symbiotic relationship.
                The most common symbiotic relationship. Individual in this relationship all benefits from the association establish. There is a close association with each other. One typical example is exhibited by corals and algae. The coral provide shelter for the algae (zooxanthellae) that live on the polyps. The algae in return give nourishment to the corals. The photosynthetic activity of algae accelerates the disposition of calcium carbonate.
                Mutualism may also be observed in the relationship in the carabao and the cattle egret. The birds eats the fleas from the carabao's body that in turn provides protection and shelter for the bird.
                It may also be demonstrated by the fishes-grouper and wrasse. The grouper allows the wrasse to dart in and out of its mouth. The wrasse cleans the grouper’s mouth in exchange for the small pieces of food that it can get.
                In the rice field, azolla (water fern) is grown together with the rice plant. Azolla allows an alga, anabaena to live with it. The anabaena fixes nitrogen in the soil making it fertile. The azolla and anabaena both benefit from the process of each other.
                 The gas exchange between plants and animals is another example of mutualism. Oxygen needed by animals is given off by plants while the carbon dioxide needed by plants that is given by animals.

                This is the world of mutualism.

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Commensalism

Orchid in a Tree
Jennifer C. Estigoy


Every single day in our world, the drama of life unfolds even in the most ordinary setting. Take the lowly tree in your backyard, under the tree; you may see grasses and even variety of insects. It may not be obvious to you at once, but these plants and animals interact with each other. You may find some insects feeding on the leaves or you may notice how butterflies and birds avoid you when you go near them.
                Your backyard may also have a source of water, unpaved soil, stones and rocks. The plants and animals you will interact not only themselves, but also with non-living things such as the soil, water and air.
                In an ecosystem, certain relationship exists. One symbiotic relationship is commensalism. Unlike termites, orchids the attached to a tree do not affect the tree at all. The tree provides support to orchid but it does not gain or lost anything. A symbiotic relationship where one individual benefits from another without causing harm.

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Competition

Bourne Supremacy 
Rowell C. Tuquib

  
               Our earth however huge and vast is never enough for creatures to settle and be contented. A sustained struggle for supremacy perpetually exists. This may happen among species of similar and of different kind. This is a fight not basically for existence but for power.
                Every animal strive for its own niche were it can abundantly consume and utilize all the necessary resources available. In many mammals for instance, male usually fight for territory in order to posses females to be made as mates for breeding. Further, a territory is worth the fight if it is to extensively fill with various kinds of food vital to sustain the conqueror’s life as well as the might-be-new born. This is why sea lions and fur seeds fight over a patch of beach.
                In a single pack, it is almost impossible for species that shows the possession of the greatest force among the members. Hence, lessen the entire lesser and least strong yield to him. This social organization lessen squabbling against member of the packs since it is already well- defined who gets the choice of mates or the best food. The mechanism by which this could happen is through fighting. Every species has to prove that it dominates. Hence, muntjack slash at each other with their tusk. Bosons push match and force their opponents vigorously backward. White-tailed deer lock antlers together wrestle until one deer is unbalanced.
                Fights however don’t signify killing. These may only be ritual trials of strength. In case of giving in, animals usually shows signal to avoid the risk of serious injury. In a dog fight for instance, presents his throat to a rival or rolls over. Then accepts the victor as boast.
                To be supreme and feared by many is not only a human fashion but animals’ as well. Becoming so much powerful over a territory grants a comfortable and easy life. This might cost a fight. But to be empowered right after is more than benefits.

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Parasitism and Predation

Wise and Fierce
Kerra L. Shayne Asturias


              The world is composed of different species with varying level of abilities and power. While others are inferior, to be gorged and destroyed is their fate, some are superior, and they gorge and destroy. This is the law of nature. The strongest dominates and the weakest is trampled.

             A relationship in which one organism feeds on the tissues or body fluids of another organism is parasitism. In parasitic relationship one member benefits and other is harmed. The member that benefits in a parasitic relationship is the parasite, and the member that is harmed is the host.

             If your dog or cat has had fleas or worms, you have had experience with parasitism. Usually a dog or cat is only need uncomfortable with flees, which live outside the host. But other parasite, such as tapeworms in an animals and mistletoe in plants, can weaken or kill the host. And increase in a parasite population can cause a decrease in a host population. However as the availability of host’s decreases, the parasite population is also controlled.
 
              But, parasite can spread easily in a crowded host population. Termites are parasite that live in trees and eat the cellulose present in trees. Parasite are the detrimental to their host’s health, sometimes causing its death. Example of parasites include leeches, lice and flees.

              The struggle for the survival is a natural phenomenon of the earth. Each species’ aims of existence are to perpetuate his own kind. Thus, creatures have to breed or they will perish. Once the young were laid, they will search for a green pastures were they can abundantly feed themselves and their new –born. Once found, the hunt is on.

              Hence, a cheetah chases a gazelle. An orb-web spider bundles of a grasshopper that has blundered into its web. Pangolin it’s as many as 200,000 ants in one night. A gray seal pursues a fish through the water. A tiger catches and kill a spotted deer. A red-backed shrike caught a lizard and impales it on its thorn ‘larder’.
              All these things took place because they have to. Unless you have flunked and consume a lower form of species, your existence may be threatened. Nevertheless, in the stringent world of predation, predators may also miss a kill. In this case, the hunted has its way out.  
               Anything you want you can have if then behaviour is right. The fight for the survival is continual battle of wit between the hunter and the hunted. Proper conduction of things along side with proper behavioural bearing is requirements if a predator would want to secure a successful hunt. On the other hand, the timely use of senses and vital strategy should be posses by the prey to avoid being eaten. A gazelle might have strong legs for escaping but if it would not run for its life, it surely would be caught and killed.
              Life for animals is a fight. There is a need to chase and run, to swoop and swoon, to kill and live. For the world Is but a struggle of existence!



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