ABOUT ECOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIP

Ecosystems include more than a community of living organisms (biotic) interacting with the environment (abiotic). At this level note how carabaos and insects depend on other abiotic factors such as sunlight, water, air and temperature. 

Ecological Relationships in an Ecosystem

1. Predation 

Predation is when one organism eats another organism for food. The organism that is eaten is called the prey. Examples of predation are snakes that eat rat, and lions that eat deer. Lions and snakes are called predators. 

2. Competition 

Competition is when individuals or populations compete for the same resource, and can occur within or between species. When organisms compete for a resource such as food, space or territory. An example is lions and hyenas that compete for prey. 

3. Commensalism 

Commensalism is a relationship in which one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed. Examples are orchids that grow on the bark of a tree. The tree gains no benefit from the barnacle, but the orchids get shelter and space. Commensal is the one that benefits from the relationship. Orchid is an example. 

4. Parasitism 

Parasitism is a relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism is harmed, but not always killed. The organism that benefits is called the parasite, and the one that is harmed is the host. Parasites can be ectoparasites -- such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, and leeches -- that live on the surface of the host. Parasites can also be endoparasites -- such as intestinal worms – that live inside the host. 

5. Mutualism 

Mutualism is a relationship in which both species benefit. It is a give and take relationship. When one species receives food in return for transporting the pollen of the other organism, which occurs between bees and flowers. 

ECO cards is a modified card game developed by researchers to aid students in learning Science 7, specifically about ecological relationships within the Philippines' ecosystem—featuring some of the endemic as well as critically endangered fauna and flora species of the said country. 

Each card contains an image of the featured organism with its corresponding scientific and common name, unique features, usual diet, and population status based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List.

The cards are categorized into two colors; terrestrial organisms which are represented by green cards, meanwhile aquatic organisms represented in blue cards.

OBJECTIVES

• To serve as a tool to enhance students’ motivation and engagement in learning about Ecosystem and Ecological Relationships during class proper. 

HOW TO PLAY THE GAME:

USER'S GUIDE 

• Please note that this game was initially designed as supplementary material; preliminary discussion/knowledge of the topic is required in order to play the game.

• Each ecological relationship was repeated multiple times depending on the result using the dice.

• To the teachers, please carefully discuss the rules of the game with your students before letting them play on their own.

• It also recommended that the first few games be played during the class schedule so that the teachers can guide their students during the play. The teacher may also play along with the students. After that, follow-up games can now be done during breaks (outside class hours), where students will play in small groups.

• It is essential that the teacher encourages the students to play the game several times to realize the goals and objectives of the game. The teacher may require score sheets, pictures, and videos as evidence of students playing the game.

• Formulating rules aside from the one given in this paper is also suggested so the players can play with the same cards differently. Likewise, the nature of the game can also be applied to other topics in science or other fields of discipline.

ECO Cards can be classified into two subgroups; terrestrial (green cards) and aquatic (blue cards). Each card contains an image of the featured organism with their corresponding scientific and common name, unique features, and usual diet. The cards are categorized into two colors; terrestrial organisms which are represented by green cards, meanwhile aquatic organisms represented in blue cards. Cards must be paired up with the same color. 

Action Cards. Besides the number cards, there are several other cards that help mix up the game. These               are called Action or Symbol cards.

§  Reverse – If going clockwise, switch to counterclockwise or vice versa. It can only be played on a card that matches by color, or on another Reverse card. If turned up at the beginning of play, the dealer goes first, and the player to the dealer’s right is next (normally it would be the player to the dealer’s left).

§  Skip – When a player places this card, the next player has to skip their turn. It can only be played on a card that matches by color, or on another Skip card. If turned up at the beginning of play, the first player (to the dealer’s left) loses his/her turn. The next player to that player’s right starts the game instead.

§  Draw Two – When a person places this card, the next player will have to pick up two cards and forfeit his/her turn. It can only be played on a card that matches by color, or on another Draw Two.

§  Draw Four – It serves to draw two cards except that the next player has to draw four cards as well as forfeit his/her turn. It can only be played on a card that matches by color, or on another Draw Four.

§  Wild – This card represents two colors, and can be placed or pair with any card. The player has to state   what organism it will represent for the pair up of organisms that he/she wants to put down. 

Dice 

       Each side of the dice will correspond to the five ecological relationships possible to every organism from the deck randomly. The ecological relationship represented by each possible result in rolling the dice are the following: Competition (1), Predation (2), Commensalism (3), Parasitism (4), Mutualism (5). For number 6, that will remain constant, constituting a WILD move. The WILD move will give the player a chance to choose freely which ecological relationship to use in their advantage.