Clarification Statement - S.MS.LS.2.2.CS:
Emphasis is on predicting patterns of interactions such as competition, predation, mutualism, and parasitism in different ecosystems in terms of the relationships among and between organisms.

Science and Engineering Practices - 6-8.SEP6.4:
Construct an explanation that includes qualitative or quantitative relationships between variables that predict phenomena.

Disciplinary Core Ideas - S.MS.LS.2.2.DCI:
LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems •Similarly, predatory interactions may reduce the number oforganisms or eliminate whole populations of organisms. Mutually beneficial interactions, in contrast, may become so interdependent that each organism requires the other for survival. Although the species involved in these competitive, predatory, and mutually beneficial interactions vary across ecosystems, the patterns of interactions of organisms with their environments, both living and nonliving, are shared.

Crosscutting Concepts - CC1.11:
Patterns can be used to identify cause and effect relationships.