Interaction between

living things

Science year 6
 Interaction between Plants
Interaction between plants takes place when plants growing in a habitat compete to
obtained the same basic needs.

Competition among plants occurs when:

• There is insufficient sunlight.

• There is insufficient water.
• There is insufficient nutrients and minerals
• It is to cramped and lack of space for growth

Competition between plants can be either the same species

or different species.
Interaction between Plants (Symbiosis)- Commensalism

Commensalism
The interaction that takes placed when one plant
(commensal) benefits while the other plant (host)
is neither benefited nor harmed.

Bird nest ferns grow on the branch of oil palm

trees or tall trees to obtained sunlight. Bird
Orchid grows on tree branch to nest fern do not harm the host trees.
obtained sufficient sunlight without
harming the tree.
Interaction between Plants (Symbiosis)- Mutualism

Mutualism
The interaction between
two plants that benefits
each other.

Lichen is made up of algae and fungi. Algae provide food to

the fungi while fungi provide protection to the algae.
 Interaction between Plants (Symbiosis)- Parasitism

Parasitism
The interaction that happen when only one plant (parasite) benefits while the
other plant (host) is harmed and eventually dies.

A fungus (parasite) that grow on the tree Mistletoe plant (parasite) grows on the tree
branch (host) absorbs nutrients from the tree. branch (host) to obtained nutrient and water.
Scan this QR code for exercises