HBL learning by Chenming

2.How has/will human activities in the Amazon regions affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants?

Deforestation will decrease the number of trees in the region causing many animals to be homeless. if the trees are gone, the Amazonian tree ants will not have a shelter. since the ants depends on the trees in order to catch preys, without the trees, the ants will find it difficult to hunt and ultimately decrease its number.

3a From the extract, identify the different symbiotic relationships and cite the organisms involved.Clue: There are at least 3 types of relationship.

Mutualism, the ants and the trees both benefits.

predation. the ants and its preys.

Commensalism. the ants uses hair from the stem.

3b.For each type of relationship you have identified in (a), name another example of a pair of organisms depicting that relationship in nature.

mutualism. clown fish and sea anamone.

predation. lion and giraffe.

commensalism. orchids grow on tree trunks.

HBL Zhu Zehao 2A234

A1) Human activities such as deforestation will affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants as it will cause many trees and plants to be cut down. There will be lesser plants for the ants to live in and overpopulation will occur.

A2) Predation: Predation occurs between the ants and there preys. The ants play the role of the predator.

Mutualism: The plants provide shelter for the ants while the ants feed on incests that may be harmful to the plants.

Commensalism: The ants use the mould as a form of defense and camouflage while the mould gets nothing in return.

A3) Predation: Tiger and deer.

Mutualism: Clown fish and sea anemone.

Commensalism: Shark and remora.

HBL Zhang Jie 2A233

2: Human activities like deforestation will cause the vegetation and sooty mould that the ants depend on to be wiped out. Since the ants depend on these organisms to get their food, the decrease in the population of these vegetation and sooty mould will make food more difficult for the ants to obtain. These will affect the population of the ants, causing it to decrease due to lack of food.


3: Commensalism. The worker ants cut the tiny hairs from the plant they inhabit to build the spongy platform from the fibres. The ants are benefited while the plant is unaffected, thus their symbiotic relationship is commensalism. Example: Shark and pilot fish, the pilot fish can feed on leftover food from the shark and receive protection, while the shark is unaffected.


Parasitism. The ants chewed on plants and then regurgitate them to glue the structure of the platform together. In this case the ants make use of the plant to make the trap for capturing their prey, while the plant is harmed, so it is a Parasitism symbiotic relationship. Example: Flea and dog, the flea gets food and shelter while the dog is harmed because the flea feed on its blood.


Mutualism. The ants inhabit the plant to get food and shelter, while the plant receives protection from herbivores or parasitic plant. Example: Egyptian plover and the crocodile, the bird feed on the food stuck in the crocodile’s teeth and the crocodile get a mouth cleaning service.

HBL Benedict Chin 2A206

1)How has/will human activities in the Amazon regions affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants?



Deforestation through human activities will destroy all the plants and trees. The ants rely on trees and plants to ensnare traps to catch their prey. Without the trees, there will be no ways for the ants to capture its prey. Hence, the population will decrease, with an inability to find food.


2) From the extract, identify the different symbiotic relationships and cite the organisms involved. 


Mutualism : The plant is protected by the ants, to capture the prey of the insects who want to eat the plant. The plant provides shelter for the ant. This is a mutual relationship. 


Commensalism: The ant and the mould. The ant uses the mould as a form of structured defense and offense, but in return, the mould gets nothing. The ant makes holes in the platform and put in places pieces of sooty mould, which would quickly grow around the structure and reinforce it.


Predation: The ants feed on their prey. The ants is the predator, whilst the insects are the prey.






3)For each type of relationship you have identified in (a), name another example of a pair of organisms depicting that relationship in nature.


Mutualism : Clown Fish and Sea Anemone. The sea anemone protects the crab using its sting, and the crab allows the anemone to feed on its remaining food. 


Commensalism: Crabs and aerial roots. The crabs climb on the aerial roots in mangrove and swampy areas to hide from predators, and the high tides. It is a form of shelter. The aerial roots do not get anything. 


Predation: The tiger and the deer. This is a form of predation.

HBL Jovian Tan 2A231

Q2. Since the Amazonian trees ants live only in the Hirtella physophora and the Amazon regions faces deforestation, deforestation will cause a decrease in the number of Hirtella physophora. This will also cause a gradual decrease in these ants as there would be more difficulty in finding places where they can inhibit and also decreasing the number of resources to build their traps, to capture their prey.

Q3(a).

Mutualism : The relationship between the ants and the plant host.

The plant provides ant with shelter and resources to construct the trap while the ants protect the plant host using their traps to protect the plant against parasitic insects and plants.

Commensalism : The relationship between the ants and the mould.

The ant makes holes in the platform and put in places pieces of sooty mould, which would quickly grow around the structure and reinforce it. On the other hand, the mould get nothing in return.

Predation : The relationship between the ants and their prey.

The ant prey on their insect and kills them. With one side benefiting, the other party suffer.

Q3.(b)

Mutualism : Clownfish and sea anemone.
The examples of mutualism include the sea anemones and hermit crab. The sea anemones give protection to the crab using its stinging cells, and it remoulds its shell to fit the crab while the hermit crab allows the sea anemones to consume the remains of its food, thus it also provides the sea anemones with food supply, which makes it a relationship beneficial to both.

Commensalism : Tree frog and plants living on trees

The tree frog uses the plants on trees for protection from the rain, and the plants are not affected at all.

Predation : Lion and deer
The lion eating the deer.

HBL Koh Jing Yuan 2A217

2) An example of human activities would be deforestation. Deforestation will lead to the decline of the number of Hirtella Physophora, which the ants depend to obtain materials to build their traps and catch prey. Without the traps, they would not be able to get food and thus starve and die. Without the shelter of the plants, the Allomerus Decemarticulatus will be more prone to the preadators, ultimately leading to the decline on the population of Allomerus Decemarticulatus ants.

3a)
Predation : The ants will trap their prey, sting them and then proceed to consume the prey.

Commensalism : The ants will cut hairs from the stem of the host plant and use the tiny fibres to build a spongy platform, in order to trap their preys. The ants benefited from this and the plants are not affected.

Mutualism : The ants protect the plants while the plants provides the ants with materials for them to build traps and also protein for the ants.


3b)
Predation : Barn owl and rats

Commensalism : Shark and Pilot fish

Mutualism : Hermit crab and sea anemones

HBL Eddie 2A221

How has/will human activities in the Amazon regions affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants?

There are many different human activites in the Amazon regions that will affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants, for exmaple, deforestation is one of them. When we carry out deforestation, one direct implication of the activity is the loss of habitat for the ants, a second indirect implication is the loss in the ability to capture preys, because the ants rely on the trees for traps on their preys, the loss of trees means the loss of prey, hence tremendously decresing its ability to capture preys.

3a)
Commensalism: Mould and the plant
Predation: Allomerus decemarticulatus ants and insects that fly near their traps
Competition: Allomerus decemarticulatus ants and the mould (for the host plant)

3b)

Commensalism: Remora fish and shark
Predation: Snake and rabbit
Competition: Snake and Eagle having similiar feeding habits

Online learning for 24th May

2) Due to the intensified deforestation in the Amazon region, there will much lesser trees and plants suitable for the ants to live and also to craft traps to obtain prey. This will also bring about more competition within the species, when they compete to find the suitable trees that help them obtain prey.

3a)
-> Commensalism
The ants benefit from making traps and capturing prey through cutting the hair of the stems of the tree. The ants therefore benefit. The tree however is not significantly harmed or damaged in the process.

-> Predation
Through setting up of traps, the ants capture their prey. So this can be counted as predation

-> Competition
Due to the presence of human activity, there will be an intensified competition amoung colonies of ants to find trees to set up traps.

3b)

Commensalism
Fishes hiding in the mangrove roots. The fishes acquire protection, but the trees do not have any obvious harm or damage.

Predation
The snakehead preying on smaller fishes like goldfish

Competition
Red-eared sliders introduced into wildlife of Singapore, and native species of turtles and terrapins will have more competition in obtaining prey.

Aceson Aw index 1 ( HBL 24 may )

2) Human activities such as deforestation, will affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus - Hirtella physophora symbiosis as both species are native to Amazon and the worker ants only inhibit in Hirtella physophora, and no other plants, deforestation of the Amazon, will eventually lead to lesser of these species of plants. Once it is extinct, the Allomerus decemarticulatus will surely be extinct too.
3a) Mutualism: The (Allomerus decemarticulatus - Hirtella physophora) relationship is an example of mutualism. This species of worker ants only inhabit specifically in Hirtella phsophora . They seem to have taken advantage of the shelter and food(nectar), which the plant have provided for them, which is in fact simple parasitism. However, the plant also benefits greatly as the workers, with the help of traps and predation, defend the plant against parasitic insects and plants.
Commensalism : ( Mould - Allomerus decemarticulatus),the relationship between the two organisms depict commensalism as these ants benefits from its trap during predation, and they ut in place the mould into tiny holes of the traps so as to reinforce the trap. However, the mould does not have any significant benefits and continue to grow as per normal.
Predation: (- Allomerus decemarticulatus- parasitic insects), this explotative relationship can be considered as predation for the ants prey on the parasitic insects and kill them. The ants lay in ambush in the holes of the traps and grab hold of the insects, other ants would sting venom in the prey. This is beneficial to the ants but not to the insects.
3b) example for mutualism: (clownfish and sea anemone) the clownfish seeks shelter in the sea anemone to avoid from its predators as the tentacles of the sea anemone have a stinging mechanism which the clownfish is protected from due to a layer of mucus on them. While the clownfish protects the sea anemone from its predators.
Example for commensalism : ( barnacles and crabs) , barnacles feed on plankton and detritus on the shell of crabs before finding another good sources as the crab moves from one place to another. The crab remains unaffected.
Example of predation: (Cheetah Thompson Gazelle), the cheetah preys on Thompson Gazelle which results in the death of the prey, thus making is a form of predation, where the weaker ones get hunted

HBL 24 May (Hong Jin Xiang 2a213)

2) How has/will human activities in the Amazon regions affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants?

Human activities in the region include deforestation. As more trees are cut down, there would be a decrease in the number of tree hosts. With lesser hosts, the ants would not have enough “materials” to construct their traps. Thus, they would not be able to find food, and thus die of starvation. They would also be prone to predators as they do not have the shelter of the plants.

3 a) From the extract, identify the different symbiotic relationships and cite the organisms involved.

Clue: There are at least 3 types of relationship.

Mutualism: The relationship between the ants and the plant host. The plant provides the ants with shelter, and materials for constructing their trap, while the ants act as "guardians", protecting the plant from other invading species.

Commensalism: The relationship between the ants and the mould. The mould helps the ant by reinforcing their trap structure. However, the mould does not get anything in return from the ants.

Exploitative (Predation): The relationship between the ants and their prey. The ants prey on a passing insect. The ants benefit but the prey dies.

3 b) For each type of relationship you have identified in (a), name another example of a pair of organisms depicting that relationship in nature.

Mutualism: Clownfish and Sea Anemone. The sea anemone provides the clownfish with shelter from predators, while the clownfish lures unsuspecting fish into the tentacles of the sea anemone, providing it with food.

Commensalism: Remora and Shark. The shark provides the remora with protection and transport, as well as food (leftovers). However, the remora does not give anything in return, but also does not harm the shark.

Exploitative (Predation): Cheetah and Thomson Gazelle. The cheetah preys on the gazelle, and the gazelle is harmed or dead.

HBL Ambrose 2a202

2. Deforestation would destroy the homes of the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants, or prevent them from getting anymore preys for their population to feed on. Human deforestation would cause the ecosystem to be unbalanced, either affecting the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants directly or indirectly causing other animals which are preys to the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants to die. Severe reclaiming of the lands of forests would cause a great damaged in the different species, which includes the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants too. Homes would be lost, habitat would most probably change, and they might have to adapt to different environments. Those who would not be able to adapt would be left out to die. This would cause a big drop in the population of the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants.

3a.

• Predation - In this case the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants catches it prey.
• Parasitism - Allomerus decemarticulatus uses a host plant (Hirtella physophora) and farms the unusual fungus in order to exploit a niche opportunity for protein.
• Mutualism - The ants make holes in the platform and put in place pieces of sooty mould, which quickly grow around the structure and reinforce it.

3b.

• Predation - Owl and mouse
• Parasitism - Hookworms and Animals Intestine
• Mutualism - Bird and Deer

SC Online Learning (24/05/11)

2) How has/will human activity in the Amazon regions affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants?

Human activities like cutting down of trees, or deforestation would destroy their natural habitat, as they inhabit in the stem of a plant. This would also prevent them from catching their prey, as the way they catch their prey is to “cut hairs from the stem of the plant, and use the tiny fibres to build a spongy platform.” Without the plants, these ants would not be able to set up these traps, and might prevent them from catching their prey successfully, and the population might die because of hunger.

3a) From this extract, identify the different symbiotic relationships and site the organisms involved.

(i) Exploitative relationshipà Between the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants (predator) and the insect they eat (prey). In this case the ants get food, which benefits them, while the insect they prey on dies, which harms them.

(ii) Commensalism: Between the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants and the plants, which the ants get the hairs from. In this case, the ants would get the hairs from the stem they need to build their trap to get their prey, which benefits them. And, the plant would not be affected, as only the hair of the plant is taken away by the ants.

(iii) Competition: Between the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants as well as another carnivorous species who also feed on insects, in the Amazon region. In this case, the ants and the carnivorous predator would compete for food, and both of the species would have a negative impact.

3b) For each type of relationship you have identified in (a), name another example of a pair of organisms depicting that relationship in nature.

(i) Exploitative relationship: Between the rabbit (predator) and the grass (prey) in a forest community. In this case, the rabbit feeds on the grass, and benefits as it fills its stomach. While the grass on the other hand, dies, and thus is harmed.

(ii) Commensalism: Between the remora and the shark. In this case the remora fish hides under the shark and get protection as well as food, from the bits of food that fallout from the shark’s teeth, from the shark. While the shark does not get affected as the remora fish is small and unnoticeable.

(iii) Competition: Between the lion and the tiger. In this case, both animals are fighting for food as they are both carnivorous and feed on meat. Both animals would be harmed by the injuries they inflicted on the opposite party and would be negatively affected.

Done by: Chua Zhong Zhi (08)

HBL 24 May by Darryl Hwang (10)

2) What the Amazon Forest faces is deforestation. An important human activity, that would harm the balance of nature. When deforestation occurs in the Amazon Forest, these Allomerus decemarticulatus ants would have difficulty finding the stems of plants to inhibit in, since plants are no longer available as deforestation affects the growth of the plants as well. With this part of the tripartite cycle missing, the ants would


3a) 
Commensalism is involved. The ants take the hairs from the stem they inhabit and build a spongy platform. They would then be able to trap insects. The ants thus benefit from the plant in order to trap their preys. And this action does not affect the plants at all.


Predation is involved. The ants sting the injured insects, and in the end consume them


Competition is involved. The ants and the mould compete for protein.


3b) 
Commensalism - Tigers and Golden Jackels


Predation - Fox and Chickens


Competition - Plants competing for sunlight


Done by: Darryl Hwang (10)

HBL Clement Chia 2A209

2)How has/will human activities in the Amazon regions affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants?

Human activities like deforestation have been carried out, emptying land for other uses. These activities would affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants, causing their population to decrease. This is because worker ants cut hairs from the stem of the plant they inhabit, and use the tiny fibers to build a spongy platform to catch unsuspecting prey. Therefore, with the deforestation, the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants would have no food to eat as deforestation would reduce the number of plants they inhabit, so they have a lesser chance of obtaining the "hairs" to catch prey. There will thus be a lack of food and also its habitat will be ruined through deforestation. Hence, human activities would affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants

3a) From the extract, identify the different symbiotic relationships and cite the organisms involved.

Commensalism: Allomerus decemarticulatus ants and the plant which they inhibit.The ants will cut hairs from the stem of the host plant and use the tiny fibres to build a spongy platform, in order to trap their preys, benefiting the ants while the plant is not affected.

Predation: Allomerus decemarticulas ants and their prey (insects).

Mutualism : The ants protect the plant they inhibit and the plants provides the ants with materials for them to build traps to catch their prey.

3b) For each type of relationship you have identified in (a), name another example of a pair of organisms depicting that relationship in nature.

Mutualism - Clownfish & Sea anemone
Predation - Owl and mouse

Commensalism: Barnacles and Whale

HBL Science 24/5/11 Aloysius Chan

2) Reflect on this:
How has/will human activities in the Amazon regions affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants?

The human activities such as deforestation in the Amazon regions affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants. This is so as when the human cut down the trees in the Amazon region, the ants would not be able to retrieve the “tiny fibres” from the trees and could not make the “spongy platform”. Thus, without all these, they could not make their trap and would be deprived of food, and thus, these Allomerus decemarticulatus ants will be extinct soon.

3) Answer the following questions:

a) From the extract, identify the different symbiotic relationships and cite the organisms involved. Clue: There are at least 3 types of relationship.

1. Mutualism: When the ants put the mould inside the holes in the platform, the mould would be able to grow very quickly, due to the protein that was provided by the ants. Thus, the ants give the mould protein, and the mould in turn, help them by hidden away from those prey

2. Predation: The ants get their source of energy from predating those preys that pass by their trap.

3. Commensalism: The ants would cut hair from the stem of the tree to use the fibre to build the spongy platform. The ants benefitted while the tree was not harmed.

b) For each type of relationship you have identified in (a), name another example of a pair of organisms depicting that relationship in nature.

Mutualism - Clownfish and sea anemones.

Commensalism: Cattle egrets and livestock

Predation: Venus Fly Trap and mosquito

Loh Jia Sheng 2A2 24 (HB learning 24 May)

2.) Since the Amazon regions have been subject to widespread human deforestation, these ants would have more difficulty finding plants in which they can inhabit, or even to cut the hairs from the stem of the plants to build their structure for trapping their preys.

3a.) Commensalism – The ants cut the hairs of the stem and use them to build their trap structure. The ants benefit while we can say that the plants are not affected.
Predation – The ants trap the other insects that pass by their trap structure, and prey on them. The ants benefit while the insect passer-bys gets is harmed.
Mutualism – The ants put in pieces of sooty mould in the holes that they make in their structure, and the mould would quickly grow over the structure to reinforce it. The ants benefit as the mould reinforces their trap structure while the mould also benefits because it would grow.

3b.)An example of commensalism: cattle egrets foraging in fields among cattle or other livestock. As cattle, horses and other livestock graze on the field, they cause movements that stir up various insects. As the insects are stirred up, the cattle egrets following the livestock catch and feed upon them. The egrets benefit from this relationship because the livestock have helped them find their meals, while the livestock are typically unaffected by it.
An example of Predation: Lions preying on deers in the African deserts.
An example of Mutualism: Bees extracting nectars from the flowers. They might bring along pollen grains to fertilize the female part of the flowers.

Home Learning By Dong De Xin

2) Humans are clearing trees in the Amazon for farming land. Since the Amazonian tree ants does not live in any other tree but the Hirtella physophora, with humans cutting down so many trees, the population of this tree will decrease. With the Hirtella physophora decreasing, the population will also decrease since they only use the Hirtella physophora as their home.

3a) The plants and ants have a symbiotic relationship is mutualism. The plant provides the ants with food, shelter and materials to build the trap to capture their prey. With the help of their traps and predation, the ants defend the plant from other insects and parasitic plants.

The insects also harvest a specific type of fungi that help them capture their prey. This is a commensalism relationship whereby the insects make use of the fungi to trap prey while the fungi do not gain anything from this.

The insects preying on other animals are a form of predator-prey relationship.

b) Another example of mutualism is the clownfish and the sea anemone. The territorial fish protects the anemone from anemone-eating fish, and in turn the stinging tentacles of the anemone protect the clownfish from its predators.

Another example of commensalism is the remora and the shark. The remora sticks itself onto the the shark and gets a free ride, it also eats the scraps of meat that fall out of the shark when it eats. In return, the shark does not benefit from the remora but the remora does not harm it.

Another example of predator-prey relationship is the lion and the zebra whereby the zebra is the prey and the lion is the predator.

home learning term 2(anthony low)

2) Reflect on this:
How has/will human activities in the Amazon regions affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants?
Human has been destroying the habitat of the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants as a result from deforestation for urban development. This will make the ants go without a home and eventually die. Soon, it will become extinct. In addition, by cutting down all the trees, we are destroying the traps made by the ants and soon they will have nothing to eat and lead to death.
3) Answer the following questions:

a) From the extract, identify the different symbiotic relationships and cite the organisms involved. Clue: There are at least 3 types of relationship.
mutualism. The trees and the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants.
Predation. The insects flying around and the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants.
Competition. The trees fight for sunlight.


b) For each type of relationship you have identified in (a), name another example of a pair of organisms depicting that relationship in nature.
Mutualism- clown fish and sea anemone.
Predation- tiger and deer
Competition- lion and hyena

HBL Javier Toh 2A214

2) Human activities in the Amazon regions would affect the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants. An example is deforestation, these forestland are being converted and being used for other purposes. The trees there are being cut down so that the land could be used, however, as shown in the TODAY article, the Allomerus decemarticulatus ants cut hairs from the stem of the plant they inhabit, and use the tiny fibers to build a spongy platform, which would then be reinforce to be used as a trap. When all the trees are being cut down, the ants will no longer have the resources to build their traps to capture their prey for food, thus this shows that human activities in the amazon forest would cause harm to the ants.

3a) Allomerus decemarticulatus worker ants cut hairs from the stem of the plant they inhabit, and use the tiny fibers to build a spongy platform(Allomerus decemarticulatus worker ants and plant)- Commensalism

Swarms of workers then rush over the hapless prey, stinging it into submission. The prone insect is then carted off towards the ants' home, a leaf pouch, where it is carved up.( worker ants and prey)-Predation

The structure is glued together with a protein that comes from chewed and regurgitated vegetation. The ants make holes in the platform and put in place pieces of sooty mould, which quickly grow around the structure and reinforce it.(mould and ants)-mutualism

3b)Commensalism- The cattle egret forages in fields among cattle and horses, feeding on insects stirred up by the grazing animals. The egret benefits from this relationship, while the livestock are typically unaffected by it.

Mutualism- The clownfish feeds on small invertebrates which otherwise potentially could harm the sea anemone, and the fecal matter from the clownfish provides nutrients to the sea anemone. The clownfish is additionally protected from predators by the anemone's stinging cells, to which the clownfish is immune.

Predation-Cheetah feeds on the Thompson Gazelle for food.