Mississippi Science BIO.5

Standard Cluster

Students will Investigate and evaluate the interdependence of living organisms and their environment. Illustrate levels of ecological hierarchy, including organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, and biosphere. Analyze models of the cycling of matter (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and water) between abiotic and biotic factors in an ecosystem and evaluate the ability of these cycles to maintain the health and sustainability of the ecosystem. Analyze and interpret quantitative data to construct an explanation for the effects of greenhouse gases on the carbon dioxide cycle and global climate. Develop and use models to describe the flow of energy and amount of biomass through food chains, food webs, and food pyramids. Evaluate symbiotic relationships (e.g., mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism) and other co-evolutionary (e.g., predator-prey, cooperation, competition, and mimicry) relationships within specific environments. Analyze and interpret population data to define limiting factors, both density-dependent and density-independent. Use graphical representations (growth curves) to illustrate the carrying capacity within ecosystems. Investigate and evaluate factors involved in primary and secondary ecological succession using local, real-world examples. Enrichment: Use an engineering design process to create a solution that addresses changing ecological conditions (e.g., climate change, invasive species, loss of biodiversity, human population growth, habitat destruction, biomagnification, or natural phenomena). * Enrichment: Use an engineering design process to investigate and model current technological uses of biomimicry to address solutions to real-world problems. *

2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Interdependence of Organisms and Their Environments