Republic of the Philippines

Department of
Education

8 SCIENCE
Quarter IV – Module 6
Week 6

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 Republic of the Philippines
Department of
Education
Science
8 Fourth
Quarter
Week 7

Lesson: How do Human Activities Affect the Ecosystem

MELC:_ Suggest ways to minimize human impact on the environment
Key Concepts:

Humans are the top consumers in many food pyramids. To

increase food production, they use methods that have an effect
on food chains and food webs.

Learn about food pyramid with this presentation and

answer the questions below.
Underline the correct answer from the given choices.

Questions: 1. To which group of organisms do you belong? (producer,

consumer)
2. Which trophic level do you occupy? (1storder consumer,
2nd order consumer,)
3. Could the insecticides move to up the food
pyramid and accumulate in the body of the
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consumer. (Yes, No)

How do Human Activities Affect the Ecosystem?

Humans are the top consumers in many food pyramids. To

increase food production, they use methods that have an effect
on food chains and food webs. Some of the farming practices
are described as follows:

 Monoculture. This is the cultivation of a single crop in

large areas. Vast tracts of land are converted to rice
farms, sugar farms, and coconut farms. By limiting the
cultivation of different kinds of plants, people also deprive
many animals of their food and home. These animals,
some of which feed on insect pests, move to other places.
Only the insect pests that eat the monocrop remain in the
area. If uncontrolled, these pests can totally wipe out the
monocrop in a short time. Some soil
microorganisms depend on specific plants for food.
Eliminating these plants is harmful to the microorganisms.
Since microorganisms are responsible for returning plant
nutrients to the soil, the cycling of nutrients for reuse of the
plants is disturbed.

 Herbicides and Insecticides. Farmers spray their crops

with insecticides to kill insect pests, and with herbicides to
kill weeds. However, the chemicals also destroy other
organisms, including beneficial insects and soil organisms
which help in decay.

 Insecticides move up the food pyramid and accumulate

in the body of organisms. The smallest concentration of
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 Republic of the Philippines
Department of
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the chemical is at the base of the pyramid occupied by
producers. The amount increases towards the top. The
greatest concentration is found in the top consumers such
as birds, mammals, and humans. Many insect pests
become resistant to chemicals. This may lead to the use
of increased amounts of pesticide.

 Chemical Fertilizers. Monocrops usually require large

amounts of chemical fertilizers. Continuous and
uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers may increase soil
acidity, thus destroying soil structure. Findings show that
more fertilizers are needed for the same amount of yield
after years of monoculture. Fertilizers may
run off to rivers, ponds, and lakes. Accumulation of
fertilizers may cause the death of these bodies of water.

Fertilizers in the water will cause increased growth of algae and

other water plants.
They cover the water’s surface and block the passage of
oxygen. Thus, less oxygen is dissolved in water. Furthermore,
when algae and aquatic plants die, decay microorganisms use
oxygen. Dissolved oxygen becomes insufficient, causing fish
and other aquatic animals to die.
To conserve the environment, some desirable practices are
described below.
1. Grow a variety of crops instead of only one crop.
2. Use insects to fight other insects. This is known as biological control
of insect pests.
3. Instead of chemical fertilizers, try organic farming using
natural fertilizers for crops. Some natural fertilizers are compost
and animal manure.

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 Republic of the Philippines
Department of
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ACTIVITY 1: MATCH ME IF YOU CAN!

Match the descriptions to the correct illustrations by writing the corresponding letter inside
the box:

Farmers spray

their crops with

1 insecticides to kill

Cultivation of a
B
single crop in
B
large areas
2
2._

Farmers spray
C their crops with
herbicides to kill
weeds.
3._

Continuous and
D uncontrolled use
4._ of this may
4
increase soil
acidity
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Republic of the Philippines
Department of
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 Republic of the Philippines
Department of
Education
ACTIVITY 2: I SPY SOMETHING BAD!
The pictures below are the evidences of threatening our environment, Separate the
bad practices from the good one by putting the numbers inside the trash bin below. Good
practices should be retained. ( Write the number of bad practices on your answer sheets.)

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12

TRASH
BIN

_
_

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 Republic of the Philippines
Department of
LRMS-CID/EPC Education
ACTIVITY 3: FILL ME IF YOU CAN!

Direction: Identify the negative effect and its solution of the following farming
practices from the choices given then write your answer on the corresponding
column.

Kill weeds including

Kill insect but destroy Disturbed
Biological the cycling
control
Grow variety of crops Increase
beneficial soil acidity,
soil organisms
other organisms of nutrients for
destroying soil structure
reuse

Use insect to fight insect Try organic farming

FARMING PRACTICES NEGATIVE EFFECT SOLUTION

Monoculture

Herbicide

Insecticide

Chemical fertilizer

ACTIVITY 4: DESCRIBE ME IF YOU CAN!

Describe one way by which the following practices may disrupt a
food chain or
food web.

1. monoculture

2. use of insecticides

3. use of fertilizers

References

Philippines. Department of Education. 2013. Grade 8 Science Learner’s Module. First Edition.
Meralco Avenue, Pasig City
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 Republic of the Philippines
Department of
Education
Philippines. Department of Education. 2013. Grade 8 Teacher’s Guide. First Edition. Meralco
Avenue, Pasig City
https://images.app.goo.gl/aoX9nNcy3M3zVrtr6

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%Finteng- storage.s3.amazonaws.com
%2Fimg%2Fiea%2FyrwQlng6NK%2Fsizes%2Fenvironment_md.jpg &imgrefurl=https%3A
%2F%Finterestingengineering.com%2F11-ways-humans-impact-the-
environment&tbnid=DUVyQ2WHln2N_M&vet=1&docid=fcbwCFNAhJhbFM&w=864&h=486
&hl=en-US&source=sh%2Fx%2Fim
https://images.app.goo.gl/UWkcd1Y685VLifQD9

https://images.app.goo.gl/Ch2h9v442ApyojDP8

https://images.app.gl/daxkqLghYwkR7WSS7

https://images.app.goo.gl/piQm1zcpqiBJ6H7A

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl+https%3A%2F%2Fimage.shutterstock.com%2Fimage-
vector%2Ftrash-bin-can-recycling-sign-600w- 1350912008.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F
%2Fwww.shutterstock.com%Fimage- vector%2Ftrash-bin-can-recycling-sign-icon-
1350912008&tbnid=1pb4eV2JQZ8z-
M&vet=1&docid+VoeBgtLv7Qbp7M&w=600&h=620&itg=1&source=sh%2Fx%2Fim

Prepared by:
Jerlyn J. Ferrancullo
Myla C. Menciano
Melinda L. Mongado

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 Republic of the Philippines
Department of
Education
LRMS-CID/EPC

Sta. Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro 5200

Telephone No.: (043) 2887810 / Email Address: oriental.mindoro@deped.gov.ph
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of
Education

Sta. Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro 5200

Telephone No.: (043) 2887810 / Email Address: oriental.mindoro@deped.gov.ph
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of
Education
LRMS-CID/EPC

Sta. Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro 5200

Telephone No.: (043) 2887810 / Email Address: oriental.mindoro@deped.gov.ph
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of
Education

Sta. Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro 5200

Telephone No.: (043) 2887810 / Email Address: oriental.mindoro@deped.gov.ph
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of
Education

LRMS-CID/EPC

Sta. Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro 5200

Telephone No.: (043) 2887810 / Email Address: oriental.mindoro@deped.gov.ph
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of
Education

Para sa mga katanugan o puna, sumulat o tumawag sa: Kagawaranng Edukasyon- Rehiyong MIMAROPA
Meralco Avenue, corner St.Paul Road, Pasig City, Phiilippines 1600 Telephone No. (02) 863-14070
Email Address:

LRMS-CID/EPC

Sta. Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro 5200

Telephone No.: (043) 2887810 / Email Address: oriental.mindoro@deped.gov.ph