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Name: ______________________
The Lion King: An Ecological Study
After watching the movie, respond to each of the following questions.
1) Make a list of as many organisms you can identify that contributed to a balanced
ecosystem in an around Pride Rock. Categorize the organisms as producer,
herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, or scavenger/decomposer. You must have at least
fifteen organisms to earn full credit.
Producer/Autotroph
Herbivore
Carnivore
Omnivore
Scavenger or
Decomposer
2) Draw a food chain consisting of organisms in the movie. Use arrows to correctly
show the flow of energy in the chain. Include at least three organisms and be sure to
identify which organism is the producer, first level (primary) consumer and secondary
level (secondary) consumer. In addition, state whether the consumer is a herbivore,
carnivore, etc.
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3) Re-draw your food chain as three labeled ecological pyramids that show how much
energy, biomass, and numbers are passed from one level to the next. (see Nelson
Text pg. 29-30)
Pyramid of Energy
Pyramid of Biomass
Pyramid of Numbers
4) Use the two laws of thermodynamics to describe why the ecological relationships form
pyramids.
5) Using 15 of the organisms you listed in question #1, draw a food web for the Lion
King ecosystem.
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6) An adaptation is a behavioral characteristic or physical trait that helps an organism to
be more successful in its habitat. For the following organisms, describe at least two
adaptations that make them more successful.
a. Lion
b. Hyena
c. Elephant
d. Warthog (Pumba)
e. Meerkat (Timone)
f. Baboon (Rafiki)
g. Hornbill (Zazu)
7) In an attempt to explain the Circle of Life, Mufasa says to Simba; “when we die our
bodies become the grass……the antelope eat the grass……” Use your knowledge of
the biogeochemical cycles to explain how this is possible.
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8) Shenzi, one of the hyenas, says, “No wonder we’re dangling at the bottom of the food
chain”. Is this quote biologically accurate? Explain why or why not.
9) To reduce the impact of malaria, the pesticide DDT has been widely used in Africa.
Explain how the ecosystem shown in the Lion King would most likely be affected by
the use of this pesticide.
10) Puma asks Simba “What’s eating you?” Timone jokes, “Nothing, he’s at the top of the
food chain!” Describe one advantage and one disadvantage of being at the top of the
food chain?
11) Explain why we would not see more lions than there are gazelles in an ecosystem
such as the one shown in the Lion King.
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12) Scar replacing Mufasa reflects a stable ecosystem being replaced by unstable
ecosystem. Using scientific terminology, explain how and why the ecosystem
changed when Scar took over Pride Rock.
13) Serabi is summoned by Scar and reprimanded for not providing food. She responds;
“The herds have moved on. It is over. There is nothing left. We have only one
choice, we must leave Pride Rock.” Explain how immigration and emigration affect
the ecosystem at pride rock.
14) During the final scene, lightning strikes the Pride Land igniting a fire that burns out the
existing dead brush and trees. What effect does burning have on the carbon cycle?
(You may draw a picture to illustrate your answer).
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15) Give an example of when a predator almost becomes prey in the movie.
16) Provide the definition of a population. Describe a population shown in the movie.
17) Interfering with ecological pyramids: Choose a species from the movie and explain
how introducing this exotic species into our ecosystem might affect native
populations?
18) Many of the organisms featured in the movie (such as lions, giraffes, elephants, etc.)
are considered ‘species at risk’. Define what it means to be a species at risk? List
some possible reasons or factors that have contributed to putting these species at
risk.
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