Download Simulated Biological Magnification

Name:
Date:
Class:
Simulated Biological Magnification
Part 1: Food Web Recap
Materials:
 Envelopes containing photos or names of 10 organisms in a student research biome
 Whiteboards
 Whiteboard Markers
Directions:
1. Using the photos in your envelope (set up earlier as organisms in a particular biome), set up a food web on
the whiteboards.
2. In your own set of notes, redraw this food web and indicate:
a. trophic levels
b. direction of energy flow
c. loss of heat energy
3. Once finished, look at and record another group’s food web.
Analysis:
1. Explain your rationale for the placement of the decomposers.
2. Which trophic level in your food web contains the biggest energy investment?
3. If you are concerned about eating a diet that helps to conserves the world’s energy, where in the chain
should you eat? Explain reasoning.
Part 2: Extinction and Keystone Species
Directions:
1. At random remove a single species from another group’s food web.
2. Meet back with your group to discuss the effects.
Analysis:
1. What was the result of removing the species in terms of populations, food available…etc?
2. Were any of the species removed considered keystone species? Explain reasoning.
Part 3: Simulated Biological Magnification
Materials:

Small plates or flashcards (some marked as toxins)
Directions:
1. Each student will be assigned at random 5 flashcards with a trophic level written on it. Some of the
flashcards will have the word toxin written on it.
2. The game (played in rounds of 60 seconds) is similar to tag. If a consumer tags its food, it obtains a flashcard.
This will be played for 3-5 rounds to demonstrate the effect of biological magnification.
3. As a class, record the data in the table provided below.
Food
particles
Producers
10
consumer
20
consumer
30
consumer
40
consumer
# Non-toxic
#Toxin/
individual
Total food
collected
% Food
containing
toxins
Analysis:
1. Explain what happened. Relate your findings to why Tuna in the ocean are so high in mercury, a
contaminant common in marine organisms.