NOT

5
Science
Quarter 2 - Module 8
Interaction Among Living Things and
Non-Living Things in Estuaries and
Intertidal Zone

Department of Education ● Republic of the Philippines

 What I Know

A. Using the table below, describe and discuss how the biotic factors
affect the intertidal zones and estuaries.
Abiotic Factor Description and effect to intertidal zones
and estuaries

B. Unscramble the letters in column A to form the word being described in B

_
Column A Column B

1. TUESARISE nurseries of the seas

2. NIALSIYT amount of salt in water

3. NAGMEVOR trees which grow in salt water

4. PUREMEATTER hotness or coldness of water

5. SEAWV movement of the surface water

6. LATED a body of water that can also be an estuary

7. SSYECOTME the relationship between biotic

and abiotic factors in a certain place

8. SHARKBIC the type of water in estuaries

9. ICIBOAT non-living factors in the environment

10. DIALTTREIN areas which is directly affected by tides

C. Identify the biological indicator that indicates each non-living factor. Choose your answer
from the box
Biological indicators
Mosses Birds
Lichens Sedges
Earthworms Bees/Butterflies
Non-living Factors
1. Clean air_____________________________________
2. Soil rich in nutrients____________________________
3. High water vapor in the air______________________
4. Ground is full of water__________________________
5. Presence of flowers____________________________
vi
 D. Fill in the blanks with correct answer. Choose the correct answer from the wordpool
below.

1. Salt marshes are areas in estuaries that are filled with seawater during____________
and are drained during______________________________________.
2. Mud flats are areas in estuaries where____________ is deposited from the seas or
rivers.
3. Mangrove forests are areas in estuaries that are with __________________________
4. _________ are areas in estuaries where solid rocks are found.
5. Salt marshes are marshy because of the presence of________________.
6. The living factors in estuaries consist of all the _____________animals, and
_________________that are found in them.
7. Mangrove trees have adapted to________ and play a significant role in the
environment.
8. _________________refers to the changing levels of waters in the coastal areas.
9. _________________refers to the abundance of different living organisms living in an
area.
10. Some animals found in _______________are starfish, mollusks, shrimps, hermit
crabs, and prawns.

High tide rocky shores decomposing plant matter

Mangrove trees plants low tide
Biodiversity saltwater mud
Coral reef microorganisms tide

E. Match the descriptions in column A with the items in Column B.

Column A Column B

1. Organisms that can make their own food a. carnivores

2. Organisms that eat plants only b. consumers
3. Organisms that get energy by feeding on plants
and other organisms c decomposers
4. Organisms that eat animals only d. food chain
5. Organisms that are also known as herbivores e. food web
6. Organisms that eat both plants and animals f. herbivores
7. A series of organisms that feed on each other g. omnivores
8. Organisms that feed on dead animals and wastes h. primary consumers
9. Consists of two or more food chains i. producers
10. Organisms that eat herbivores j. scavengers

F. Identify the following organism if it is a producer, consumer, or decomposer. If the

organism is a consumer, identify if it is carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore

____________1. shrimp ______________6. snail

____________2. human ______________ 7. mangrove
____________3. seaweed ______________8. fungi
____________4. green algae ______________ 9. tilapia
____________5. heron ______________10. bacteria

vii
 Lesson Abiotic Factors in an Intertidal
Zone and Estuarine Ecosystem
1
What’s In
The Philippines, being an archipelago, is surrounded by seas and oceans. Because
of this, the Philippines is rich in coastal areas which are affected by the rising and receding
tides. These areas which are constantly exposed to the changing tides are called intertidal zones.
On the other hand , areas where seawater meets the fresh water from the river is also a home
to various kinds of animals. These areas are said to have brackish waters, which means they
have a mixture of saltwater and fresh water. These areas are called estuaries.

What I Need to Know

*Discuss the interactions among living things and non- living things in
estuaries and intertidal zone. (S5LT-IIh-8)

What’s New
Every ecosystem is affected by certain abiotic factors. What are abiotic factors?
Give some of the abiotic factors affecting an ecosystem around you, like garden, pond, or
river.

What Is It

Abiotic factor are the non-living things that affect the ecosystem in a certain way.
Intertidal Zones are home to many kinds of marine animals and birds. The daily changes in
tides play a major role to the life of living things in this area.

Estuaries is found in the mouth of the river. It is the areas where seawater meets
the fresh water from the rivers. These areas are commonly populated with mangrove and flocks
of birds come to this area. Estuaries are the nurseries of the sea, filter sediments and pollutants
before the fresh water from the river enters the seas or oceans.Filter the salt from the seas and
oceans before enters the mouth of the river. Help in during storms and flooding for they serve
as exit point of floods. Without them, the streets will remain flooded during rainy seasons.
Brackish waters is the mixture of saltwater and freshwater.

1
 Abiotic Factors that affect the organisms living in intertidal zones and estuaries,
waves refer to the movement of the surface of the water. These are strong forces that organisms
must learn to live with. Salinity refers to the amount of salt in water. Temperature refers to the
level of hotness or coldness of water. Amount of sunlight plants like algae, seaweeds, sea
grasses and other marine plants depend on the amount of sunlight received. Types of soil differ
in estuaries depending on the strength of waves and kinds of rock present in the area.

Abiotic factors are nonliving things that affect the ecosystem in a certain way.
Intertidal zones are home to many kinds of marine animals and birds. The daily changes in
tides play a major role to the life of living things in this area. The effects of salinity in living
things in intertidal zones and estuaries are too much salt in intertidal zone and estuaries will
drive away the organisms breeding in the area. This because too much salt in water is not
suitable for the developing young of the fishes and organisms. It is because estuaries serve as
the breeding ground of the many kinds of organisms. The abiotic factors set the condition in
intertidal ecosystem and estuarine. These factors dictate whether a certain organism will be
able to live in the environment or not any small change to the abiotic factors will create an
impact to the organisms inside the ecosystem.

What’s More

Using the table below, describe and discuss how the abiotic factors affect the intertidal zones
and estuaries.

Abiotic Factor Description and effect to intertidal zones

and estuaries
 What I Have Learned

A. Unscramble the letters in column A to form the word being described in B

Column A Column B

1. TUESARISE nurseries of the seas

2. NIALSIYT amount of salt in water

3. NAGMEVOR trees which grow in salt water

4. PUREMEATTER hotness or coldness of water

5. SEAWV movement of the surface water

6. LATED a body of water that can also be an estuary

7. SSYECOTME the relationship between biotic

and abiotic factors in a certain place

8. SHARKBIC the type of water in estuaries

9. ICIBOAT non-living factors in the environment

10. DIALTTREIN areas which is directly affected by tides

3
B. Identify the biological indicator that indicates each non-living factor. Choose your answer
from the box

Biological indicators

Mosses Birds
Lichens Sedges
Earthworms Bees/Butterflies

Non-living Factors

1.Clean air_____________________________________
2.Soil rich in nutrients____________________________
3.High water vapor in the air______________________
4.Ground is full of water__________________________
5.Presence of flowers_____________________________

What I Can Do

On a short bond paper make a poster that will promote protection, conservation, or
rehabilitation of the estuaries in the Philippines.
Rubrics
Skills 4 3 2 1
Students uses Students uses Students does
Students uses
most of their some of their not use of their
their time to work
Use of time time to work time to work time to work
productively &
productively & productively productively &
efficiently.
efficiently. & efficiently. efficiently
Few of the
Most picture The picture and
Picture and picture and
and graphics are graphics are not
Picture/graphics graphics are clear graphics are
clear and clear and
and relevant. clear and
relevant. relevant.
relevant.
Has an excellent Has a nice
The poster
design& layout design& layout The poster needs
needs
Visual clarity & and it is neat and and it is neat significant
improvement
appeal easy to and easy to improvement in
in design&
understand the understand the design& layout.
layout.
content content
The poster had The poster
The poster had The poster had
Content very good had good
excellent content. better content.
content. content.

4
 Lesson Biotic Factors in an Intertidal
Zone and Estuarine
2 Ecosystem
5

What I Need to Know

*Discuss the interactions among living things and nonliving things in

estuaries and intertidal zone. (S5LT-IIh-8)

What’s In

In the previous lesson, you learned that nonliving things or abiotic factors can affect
an ecosystem. However, ecosystems are not solely dependent on these factors. The living or
biotic factors also have an effect to ecosystems. Biotic factors in an ecosystem such as intertidal
zone and estuary are composed of all plants, animals and microorganisms
living in it.

What’s New

Can you enumerate examples of living things found in the sea. What is the other
term for living things?

What Is It

Coral reefs is an areas of the estuaries which part of the subtidal zone where
biodiversity is rich. Provide shelter to thousands of fish. They are animals that feed on plankton.
Form reefs that protect the coast from strong waves and currents. Biodiversity refers to the
abundance of different living organisms living7in an area.

5
 Salt marshes are areas in the estuary that are filled with seawater during high tides
and are drained during low tides. They are marshy because they are filled with decomposing
plant matter. Organisms found in salt marshes are clams, mussels, oysters, crabs, snails, and
shrimps. Plants found in salt marshes are sea grasses and other plants that are tolerant of salt
water. Halophytes-salt tolerant plant.

Mud flats/tidal flats are areas in estuaries where mud from the seas or rivers is
8 birds ,crabs, sand dollars, mussels ,clams,
deposited. They are usually the areas for migratory
mollusks, shellfish, and some fish .Algae, like sea lettuce and sea spaghetti provide food for
herbivores in this area.

Rocky shore are areas in estuaries where solid rocks are found. Animals found in the
rocky shores are plankton, brittle stars, starfish, hermit crab, barnacles, limpets, mollusks,
periwinkle, shore crabs, shrimps and prawns. Since many of the organisms in rocky shores are
herbivores ,seaweeds provide food for them. Large predators in the rocky shores are fish and
migratory birds.

Mangrove forests are areas in the estuary that are filled with mangrove trees. These trees
have adapted to salt water. It protects the coast against erosion caused by waves, winds and tides.
They also protect coral reefs and sea grass beds from silting or deposition of sand. It is also the
9
breeding ground s for different kinds of fish and shellfish. Other organisms found in mangrove
ecosystem s are algae, barnacles, oysters, shrimps, lobsters and crabs. There are many or few
organisms in the intertidal zone or estuary. Lot of organisms found living in intertidal zone or
estuary. These organisms depend on another for survival. Some fishes seek shelter in the stocky
roots of the mangrove trees underwater.in return, waste materials from fishes are deposited in
the soil providing nutrients for mangrove. The coral reefs provide shelter for the fishes to breed
and hide from the predators.

What’s More
Tabulate the different habitats found in an intertidal zone and estuary.
Make a table like this on your notebook
Habitat Description Animals living in it

6
 What I Have Learned
Fill in the blanks with correct answer. Chose the correct answer from the
word pool below.

1. Salt marshes are areas in estuaries that are filled with seawater during____________
and are drained during______________________________________.
2. Mud flats are areas in estuaries where____________ is deposited from the seas or
rivers.
3.Mangrove forests are areas in estuaries that are with __________________________
4. _________ are areas in estuaries where solid rocks are found.
5. Salt marshes are marshy because of the presence of________________.
6. The living factors in estuaries consist of all the _____________animals, and
_________________that are found in them.
7. Mangrove trees have adapted to________ and play a significant role in the
environment.
8. _________________refers to the changing levels of waters in the coastal areas.
9. _________________refers to the abundance of different living organisms living in an
area.
10. Some animals found in _______________are starfish, mollusks, shrimps, hermit
crabs, and prawns.

High tide rocky shores decomposing plant matter

Mangrove trees plants low tide
Biodiversity saltwater mud
Coral reef microorganisms tide

What I Can Do

Reflect your stand on the question below. Write your answer on your journal
notebook.

 How do living things/ biotic factor interact in intertidal zones and estuaries ecosystem?

7
 Lesson Feeding Relationships in an
Intertidal Zone and Estuarine
3 Ecosystem
.

What I Need to Know

 Discuss the interactions among living things and nonliving things in
estuaries and intertidal zone. (S5LT-IIh-8)

What’s In
The earth is a huge ecosystem that consists of biotic and abiotic factors. Of all the
abiotic factors, the most important is sunlight. How important is the Sun Energy in our living?

What’s New

Describe the feeding relationship among the living things?

Which animal feeds on plants? Which animals feed on both plants and animals?

What Is It

The living things in any ecosystem consist of the producers, consumers, and decomposers.
Energy and nutrients are transferred from producers to consumers then to the decomposers through their
feeding relationships. Producers: are green plants, algae, or microorganism s that are capable of making
their own food by converting the energy from the sun into chemical energy. They provide energy and
nutrients to the other organisms. Consumer get their energy by feeding on plants and other organisms.

Types of consumer

1.Herbivore-organisms that eat only plants. Known as primary consumer.

2. Carnivore- organisms that eat meat or other animals,
3. Secondary consumer: Carnivore that eat herbivore
4. Tertiary consumer: Carnivore that feed on other carnivores.
5. Omnivores: animals that eat both plants and animals

Decomposers: get energy by breaking down dead organisms and their wastes. Food chain:
a series of organisms in which each organism feeds on another organisms and so on. The eating process
of organism from producer down to the consumers8 and then decomposers. The transfer of energy from
producers to consumers.

8
Food web: Interlinked of food chain

The energy flow s in an ecosystem with the help of food chains. The producers start
harnessing the energy from the sun. Later on the producer will be eaten by the primary
consumer which will then be eaten by the secondary consumer. As this trend continues the
energy is passed from one organism to another by means of feeding. The decomposers break
down the remains of the organisms. By doing so, it returns the nutrients to the environment.
The feeding relationships in an intertidal zone or estuarine ecosystem are the food chain and
food web. A food chain is the transfer of energy and nutrients from producer to consumers
through eating process. A food web is an interlinked food chain. It consists of two or more food
chains and contains more organisms compared to a single food chain. The difference of a food
chain and food web lies on the size of the linked networks of organisms which feed on each
other.

What’s More

Fill the table of the information needed

Organism Type/Role Source of food
Mangrove Producer Nutrients from the soil,
carbon dioxide, sunlight

9
 What I Have Learned

A. Match the descriptions in column A with the items in Column B.

Column A Column B

1. Organisms that can make their own food a. carnivores

2. Organisms that eat plants only b. consumers
3. Organisms that get energy by feeding on plants
and other organisms c. decomposers
4 . Organisms that eat animals only d. food chain
5. Organisms that are also known as herbivores e. food web
6. Organisms that eat both plants and animals f. herbivores
7. A series of organisms that feed on each other g. omnivores
8. Organisms that feed on dead animals and wastes h. primary consumers
9. Consists of two or more food chains i. producers
10. Organisms that eat herbivores j. scavengers

B. Identify the following organism if it is a producer, consumer, or decomposer. If the

organism is a consumer , identify if it is carnivore, herbivore ,or omnivore

____________1. shrimp _____________6. snail

____________2. human _____________7. mangrove
____________3. seaweed ____________ 8. fungi
____________4. green algae _____________9. tilapia
____________5. heron ____________10. bacteria

C. How biotic and abiotic factor in estuaries ecosystem and intertidal zone interact with each
other? Answer in 5 points.

Summary
Abiotic factors are nonliving things that affect the ecosystem in a certain way.
Intertidal zones are home to many kinds of marine animals and birds. The daily changes in
tides play a major role to the life of living things in this area. Estuaries is found in the mouth
of the river. It is the areas where seawater meets the fresh water from the rivers. These areas
are commonly populated with mangrove and flocks of birds come to this area. Estuaries are the
nurseries of the sea, filter sediments and pollutants before the fresh water from the river enters
the seas or oceans. Filter the salt from the seas and oceans before enters the mouth of the river.
Help in during storms and flooding for they serve as exit point of floods. Without them, the
streets will remain flooded during rainy seasons. Brackish waters is the mixture of saltwater
and freshwater.

Abiotic Factors that affect the organisms living in intertidal zones and estuaries,
waves refer to the movement of the surface of the water. These are strong forces that organisms
must learn to live with. Salinity refers to the amount of salt in water. Temperature refers to the
level of hotness or coldness of water. Amount of sunlight plants like algae, seaweeds, sea
grasses and other marine plants depend on the amount of sunlight received. Types of soil differ
in estuaries depending on the strength of waves and kinds of rock present in the area.
10
 Coral reefs is an areas of the estuaries which part of the subtidal zone where
biodiversity is rich. Provide shelter to thousands of fish. They are animals that feed on plankton.
Form reefs that protect the coast from strong waves and currents. Biodiversity refers to the
abundance of different living organisms living in an area.

Salt marshes are areas in the estuary that are filled with seawater during high
tides and are drained during low tides. They are marshy because they are filled with
decomposing plant matter. Organisms found in salt marshes are clams, mussels, oysters, crabs,
snails, and shrimps. Plants found in salt marshes are sea grasses and other plants that are
tolerant of salt water. Halophytes-salt tolerant plant.

Mud flats/tidal flats are areas in estuaries where mud from the seas or rivers is
deposited. They are usually the areas for migratory birds, crabs, sand dollars, mussels, clams,
mollusks, shellfish, and some fish. Algae, like sea lettuce and sea spaghetti provide food for
herbivores in this area.

Rocky shore are areas in estuaries where solid rocks are found. Animals found
in the rocky shores are plankton, brittle stars, starfish, hermit crab, barnacles, limpets,
mollusks, periwinkle, shore crabs, shrimps and prawns. Since many of the organisms in rocky
shores are herbivores, seaweeds provide food for them. Large predators in the rocky shores
are fish and migratory birds.

Mangrove forests are areas in the estuary that are filled with mangrove trees.
These trees have adapted to salt water. It protects the coast against erosion caused by waves,
winds and tides. They also protect coral reefs and sea grass beds from silting or deposition of
sand. It is also the breeding ground s for different kinds of fish and shellfish. Other organisms
found in mangrove ecosystem s are algae, barnacles, oysters, shrimps, lobsters and crabs.

Producers: are green plants, algae, or microorganism s that are capable of

making their own food by converting the energy from the sun into chemical energy. They
provide energy and nutrients to the other organisms. Consumer get their energy by feeding on
plants and other organisms.

Types of consumer

1. Herbivore-organisms that eat only plants. Known as primary consumer.

2. Carnivore- organisms that eat meat or other animals,
3. Secondary consumer: Carnivore that eat herbivore
4. Tertiary consumer: Carnivore that feed on other carnivores.
5. Omnivores: animals that eat both plants and animals,

Decomposers: get energy by breaking down dead organisms and their wastes.
Food chain: a series of organisms in which each organism feeds on another organisms and so
on. The eating process of organism from producer down to the consumers and then
decomposers. The transfer of energy from producers to consumers.

Food web: Interlinked of food chain.

11
 Assessment: (Post-Test)

A. Using the table below, describe and discuss how the biotic factors affect the
intertidal zones and estuaries.
Abiotic Factor Description and effect to intertidal zones
and estuaries

B. Unscramble the letters in column A to form the word being described in B

_
Column A Column B

1. TUESARISE nurseries of the seas

2. NIALSIYT amount of salt in water

3. NAGMEVOR trees which grow in salt water

4. PUREMEATTER hotness or coldness of water

5. SEAWV movement of the surface water

6. LATED a body of water that can also be an estuary

7. SSYECOTME the relationship between biotic

and abiotic factors in a certain place

8. SHARKBIC the type of water in estuaries

9. ICIBOAT non-living factors in the environment

10. DIALTTREIN areas which is directly affected by tides

12
C. Identify the biological indicator that indicates each non-living factor. Choose you answer
from the box

Biological indicators
Mosses Birds
Lichens Sedges
Earthworms Bees/Butterflies

Non-living Factors
1. Clean air_____________________________________
2. Soil rich in nutrients____________________________
3. High water vapor in the air______________________
4. Ground is full of water__________________________
5. Presence of flowers_____________________________

D. Fill in the blanks with correct answer. Choose the correct answer from the wordpool
below.

1. Salt marshes are areas in estuaries that are filled with seawater during____________
and are drained during______________________________________.
2. Mud flats are areas in estuaries where____________ is deposited from the seas or
rivers.
3.Mangrove forests are areas in estuaries that are with __________________________
4. _________ are areas in estuaries where solid rocks are found.
5. Salt marshes are marshy because of the presence of________________.
6. The living factors in estuaries consist of all the _____________animals, and
_________________that are found in them.
7. Mangrove trees have adapted to________ and play a significant role in the
environment.
8. _________________refers to the changing levels of waters in the coastal areas.
9. _________________refers to the abundance of different living organisms living in an
area.
10. Some animals found in _______________are starfish, mollusks, shrimps, hermit
crabs, and prawns.

High tide rocky shores decomposing plant matter

Mangrove trees plants low tide
Biodiversity saltwater mud
Coral reef microorganisms tide

13
E. Match the descriptions in column A with the items in Column B.

Column A Column B

1. Organisms that can make their own food a. carnivores

2. Organisms that eat plants only b. consumers
3. Organisms that get energy by feeding on plants
and other organisms c. decomposers
4. Organisms that eat animals only d. food chain
5. Organisms that are also known as herbivores e. food web
6. Organisms that eat both plants and animals f. herbivores
7. A series of organisms that feed on each other g. omnivores
8. Organisms that feed on dead animals and wastes h. primary consumers
9. Consists of two or more food chains i. producers
10. Organisms that eat herbivores j. scavengers

F. Identify the following organism if it is a producer, consumer, or decomposer. If the organism

is a consumer, identify if it is carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore

____________1. shrimp ______________6. snail

____________2. human ______________7. mangrove
____________3. seaweed ______________8. fungi
____________4. green algae ______________9. tilapia
____________5. heron

14