SCX 010: Environmental Science

Module #8 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______
Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Lesson Title: Describing the Defense Mechanisms of Organisms Materials:

Student Activity Sheets
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the student can: References:
1. Describe and differentiate the defense mechanism exhibited by Oclay, Agnes D. 2011. “Basic
different organisms. Principles in Environmental
Studies”, Chrizam Printing Press.
2. Appreciate the different defense mechanisms of organism. Dagupan City.

A. LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW

Introduction

The interactions between predators and prey involve continues evolutionary change; as predators evolve
more efficient ways of capturing prey, the prey evolves ways of avoiding predators.

Camouflage is often used by prey as a way to disguise themselves from predators. Camouflage is a type
of coloration or pattern that helps an animal blend in with its surroundings. It is common among
invertebrates, including some species of octopus and squid, along with a variety of other animals.

Chemical defense is a life history strategy employed by many organisms to avoid consumption by
producing toxic or repellent metabolites. The production of defensive chemicals occurs in plants, fungi, and
bacteria, as well as invertebrate and vertebrate animals.

Mimicry occurs when one animal displays physical or behavioral traits that copy those of a different
species or their surroundings and incur a survival advantage on account of it. Do you know that there are
two types of mimicry? Batesian mimicry is the first type of mimicry wherein a non-poisonous species mimics
the appearance of a poisonous one. Müllerian mimicry, however, is a natural phenomenon in which two or
more unprofitable (often, distasteful) species, that may or may not be closely related and share one or more
common predators, have come to mimic each other's honest warning signals, to their mutual benefit, since
predators can learn to avoid all of them with fewer experiences.

The purpose of our lesson for today is for you to determine and differentiate the different defense
mechanisms exhibited by different organisms and for you to be able to appreciate them.

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 SCX 010: Environmental Science
Module #8 Student Activity Sheet
Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______
Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

B.MAIN LESSON

Content Notes and Skill-Building

Predator- Prey Interactions

The Interactions between predators and prey involve continues evolutionary change; as predators evolve more
efficient ways of capturing prey, the prey evolves ways of avoiding predators. There are three ways for the prey
to avoid predators, these are:

First Way – Warning coloration, Mimicry and Cryptic coloration

1. Warning coloration- is conspicuous markings of animals that make it easily recognizable and warn
would be predators that are poisonous, foul testing or dangerous species. Bright coloration in insects
and other animals such as yellow, orange, or red can act as signal warning other animals that they are
poisonous or distasteful. It is otherwise known as “ APOSEMATIC”- or bad experience.

2. Mimicry is a dangerous resemblance of one species to another, often unrelated species or to a feature
of its own environment.
3. Cryptic coloration – is that an organism matches its background, hiding camouflaging it from predators
or prey.
Second Way- Chemical defense
These chemical defenses serve to repel or inhibit potential predators. This is commonly employed by
arthropods, amphibians, and snakes. This defense is also used extensively by various types of plants.

Third Way - Predator Satiation

Predator Satiation is timing reproduction so that an offspring is produced in a short period of time, thus
satiating predators and allowing a greater percentage of young to survive. Examples are organisms that
use strategy include wildebeest, cicadas, caribou, and lots of plants.
The Hunting ability of Predators
As the prey evolved better ways avoiding predators, predators necessarily evolved better ways of hunting
and capturing prey. These interactions between predators and prey have produced some complex
adaptations. For example:
1. The social hunting behavior of lions and wolves
2. The fangs of some snakes
3. Spider and their webs

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 SCX 010: Environmental Science
Module #8 Student Activity Sheet
Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______
Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

4. The speed of many predators such as cheetahs and peregrine Falcons

Note: Not all relationships among organisms in an ecosystem involve eating or being eaten

A. Instruction: Differentiate Batesian mimicry from Mullerian mimicry. Write your answer in the box provided.
Check your answers against the Key to Corrections found at the end of this SAS. Write your score on your
paper.

Batesian Mimicry Mullerian Mimicry

B. Instruction: Draw one example for each defense mechanism of animals. I provided boxes on the next page
for you to draw. You can use pencils or colored pens. You can explain the meaning of your work if you cannot
define it well in your drawings.

Mimicry

Toxic chemicals

Camouflage

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 SCX 010: Environmental Science
Module #8 Student Activity Sheet
Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______
Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Check for Understanding

Instruction: Multiple Choice: Write your answer on the space provided before the number. Check your
answers against the Key to Corrections found at the end of this SAS. Write your score on your paper.

______ 1. Aposematic means _________.

A. good experience C. incomparable experience
B. inspiring experience D. bad experience

______ 2. The following are the first ways to avoid predation, EXCEPT _________.
A. chemical defense C. warning coloration
B. mimicry D. cryptic coloration

______ 3. It refers to a type of coloration or pattern that helps an animal blend in with its
surroundings.
A. mimicry C. chemical defense
B. camouflage D. discoloration

______ 4. The following organisms are using predator satiation as a defense mechanism, EXCEPT one.
A. Caribou B. Cicadas C. Wildebeest D. Butterfly

______ 5. This mimicry takes place when a non-poisonous species mimics the appearance of a
poisonous one.
A. Batesian B. Mullerian C. Chemical D. Camouflage

Ecological Insight:

“Everything is connected to everything else.”

C. LESSON WRAP-UP

Summary

Defense mechanisms are very important to all animal life. Animals in every biome must eat to survive.
With predators being high on the food chain and always on the lookout for a meal, prey must constantly avoid

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 SCX 010: Environmental Science
Module #8 Student Activity Sheet
Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______
Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

being eaten. Adaptations that prey employ adds to the chances of survival for the species. Some of these
adaptations include defense mechanisms that can give prey an advantage against their enemies.

There are several ways animals avoid falling prey to a predator. One way is very direct and comes
naturally. Imagine you are a rabbit and you have just noticed a fox preparing to attack. What would be your
initial response? Right, you'd run. Animals can use speed as a very effective means of escaping predators.
Remember, you can't eat what you can't catch!

Common defense mechanisms include claws, teeth, camouflage, poison, mimicry, and adaptations like
echolocation. Some are less common but very effective. The relationship between predator and prey is a bit
like an evolutionary arms race. As soon as one develops a weapon or defense mechanism, the other is
working on an adaptation that allows them to circumvent that mechanism.

FAQs
1. What is the difference between camouflage and mimicry?
Camouflage refers to a way of hiding or disguising something such as color or shape for protection from
predators while mimicry is an act of resembling or copying the color or shape of another organism as a
protection from predation.
2. How do the different defense mechanisms of organisms work?
The different defense mechanisms of organisms vary from one organism to another. It worked for their own
protection against their predator for their continued survival.

Thinking about Learning

A. Work Tracker

WOW! You are almost done with this session!

Let’s track your progress. Please shade the session number you just completed.

Period 1 Period 2 Period 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 P1 Exam 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 P2 Exam 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 P3 Exam

Well done!

B. Think about your Learning

Can we talk? Please tell me something about today’s lesson. Write your answer on the opposite box.

1. Tell me at least 3 things you’ve

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 SCX 010: Environmental Science
Module #8 Student Activity Sheet
Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______
Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

learned from today’s lesson.

2. What are those 2 things in the
lesson you found interesting?
3. Ask me 1 thing that made you
curious about the lesson but we
were not able to discuss.

ANSWER KEY

Activity 3 Concept and Skill-building

Exercise A.
Batesian Mimicry Mullerian Mimicry
Batesian mimicry is when a non-poisonous Müllerian mimicry is a natural phenomenon in
species mimics the appearance of a poisonous one. which two or more unprofitable (often,
distasteful) species, that may or may not be closely
related and share one or more common predators,
have come to mimic each other's honest warning
signals, to their mutual benefit, since predators can
learn to avoid all of them with fewer experiences

Exercise B. Drawings may vary

Activity 5: Check for Understanding

1. D
2. A
3. B
4. D
5. A

This document is the property of PHINMA EDUCATION

 SCX 010: Environmental Science
Module #8 Student Activity Sheet
Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______
Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

This document is the property of PHINMA EDUCATION