The Interdependence of Organisms in the Rainforest Ecosystem

In the rain forest lives an animal called a sloth

Sloths move very, very slowly. Their fur looks green because tiny green algae grow on it. Small caterpillars eat the algae on the sloth’s fur. Sloths do not usually walk on the sticky, muddy ground of the rain forest. Instead, they hang upside down in trees using their long, sharp claws. The climate of the rain forest is warm, and it rains almost every day. When it rains, clouds gather, lightning flashes, and thunder rumbles. Sloths do not pay any attention to the rain. They stay hanging upside down, eating leaves, because the water runs right off their fur.

What are two examples of how one organism in the story depends on another organism to survive?

Select two correct answers:

- the algae depends on the sloth for a place to grow - the sloth depends on the rain for protection - the sloth depends on the caterpillar for food - the sloth depends on the trees for food and shelter The algae depends on the sloth for a place to grow The sloth depends on the trees for food and shelter Hope it helps will help next time too. Final answer: The algae depend on the sloth for a place to grow, and the sloth relies on the trees for food and shelter in the rainforest ecosystem. Explanation: In the rainforest ecosystem, organisms often depend on each other for survival. In the story given, there are clear examples of such interdependence between organisms. The story describes the various aspects of the life of a sloth living in a rainforest. The sloth is an example of a specialized organism that has adapted to living in a unique environment. It depends on several other organisms to survive, and other organisms also depend on it. Firstly, the algae depend on the sloth for a place to grow, benefitting from the microhabitat provided by the sloth's fur. Secondly, the sloth depends on the trees not only for food as they consume the leaves but also for shelter as they live and hang upside down using their long sharp claws to avoid the muddy forest floor.
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