Download The Ecosystem Game

English- Very Hard- University Students!!!
The Ecosystem Game
The Objectives
You are a 64 square km area of Earth, and it will have a natural history of changing ecosystems
and characteristics, and many changes and events will determine how much biodiversity your
area of Earth can support. The role of the dice represents 5000 years while the cards represent
events over a 100 to 1000 year period; this is why you my both pick a card and role the eco dice.
1) Your land area should become a complex ecosystem.
2) Students should play forty turns to complete the game. A turn is a selection of a card and
or the role of the eco dice, and the recalculation of the biodiversity of your land area.
3) For students to understand what the different ecosystems are.
4) For students to understand that nature changes over time.
5) For students to learn how events can affect the entire ecosystem and it amount of
biodiversity.
6) For students to understand how destructive humans can be.
7) For students to learn about how complex ecosystems are.
How to play the game.
This game can be played with three different groups of children;
All students start with a climate that is typically hot with little precipitation (Desert).
They then role the eco dice three times and pick out a card each time after they role the dice.
(They may not receive the human card, or carryout any actions caused by humans until they have
rolled the eco dice three times resulting in three ecosystem changes; the purpose is for the
students to learn the basics of the game) During this first three roles of the dice the teacher may
decide to wait for card selection until after three roles of the dice. Remember each turn includes
the role of the dice and or selection of a card, the carrying out the directions of the card,
recalculating the biodiversity or you area of Earth, and recording in journal everything that
happened, the changes in biodiversity and why. After the 3rd role of the dice the students may
choose to role the eco dice or not to but they must pick up a card each turn and calculate it’s
affect on the ecosystem. If students choose to role the dice what they role is what they get;
students might want to role the dice to get a more productive ecosystem; however they might get
a less productive one. They may keep all the special cards they have with go with the new
ecosystem. Remember eco dice role and card picking is one turn. Students may not receive the
human card until after the 3rd turn of role of the eco dice; hence the affects of humans upon your
area of Earth cannot take place until you have a human card. Also there is a card, which will
force students to role the eco dice. (It models basic climatic changes over time.) When describing
their eco system or climatic changes the students and the instructor should say my climate is very
warm and very wet which is tropical rain forest. My hot and dry climate, which is desert,
changed to warm with some participation, which is temperate grassland; use as many landscape
photos and photos of animals, plants, and fungi to represent different parts of the ecosystem. Do
not try to play the game all at once; carry out two to three turns each class period.
The Rules
1)
2)
3)
4)
Add and subtract plants or producers first.
You must have (two) producers to have (one) 2ed level consumer.
You must have (two) 2ed level consumers to have (one) 3rd level consumer or predator.
You must have (four) 3rd level consumers to have (one) 4th level consumer or top
predator.
5) You must have at least one top predator to have humans in ecosystem.
6) The chips representing decomposers should be placed to the right side of your other chips
representing other organisms because decomposers to not belong to a trophic level.
Decomposers can be calculated in two ways. A) The sum of all your chips representing
producers, 2ed level consumers, 3rd level consumers, and 4th level consumers equals the
sum of chips representing decomposers. B) Sum of decomposers equals the sum of the
chips of 2ed level consumers, 3rd level consumers, and 4th level consumers. I think the B
method is sufficient; however it is a little misleading.
7) Students must role the eco dice three times equaling four different ecosystems for
students to choose to not role the eco dice.
8) If you choose a card that does not apply to your current ecosystem or situation (the
existence of humans) place it randomly someplace in the pile of cards. Does not need to
go to the bottom. The only cards that go to the bottom are event cards that have been
used.
9) You may not have a special card that is a reflection of your ecosystem. (A grassland
cannot border a grassland)
10) You may not have more then 10 top predators in your ecosystem. 4th trophic level.
11) Whenever the number of producers changes you must recalculate the entire
biodiversity of your ecosystem.
12) Students should record everything that happens to their ecosystem and a report on
biodiversity for each turn, how many producers, how many 2ed level trophic
feeders, and so forth. A description of their current ecosystem.
Natural Disasters, which is represented by the black card (The natural disaster event models
major natural disturbances to your ecosystem such as major climate change, major uplifting
of land masses or drop in land masses, mountain building, major volcanic action, change in
oceanic currents, a change is land mass distribution, which result in a large number of
extinctions, over a short period of time. To play natural disaster role two dice. If you get a
1,2,3,4,5,6,7, or an 8 you have a natural disaster. First remove 1/3 or your producers and then
remove 1/3 or your special cards, and the producers that go with those special cards, then you
count and sea how many producers you have left. And recalculate your biodiversity. Then
take the number of producers you have and see if you have ecological collapse. If so your
land area is now a less productive ecosystem. To carry out ecological collapse look at the
number of producers you have, lets say that after your ecological disaster you have 36
producers now look at healthy plant range the lowest number for each ecosystem the nearest
number that you are equal to or grater then is the new eco system you belong to. The lowest
healthy plant strength for hot with some rain is or (Savanna) is 35; hence your new
ecosystem is Savanna. However your ecosystem is under ecological stress. While under
ecological stress you cannot role the eco dice. The ecological stress for Savanna is producer
strength of 34,33,32, and 31. For Savanna the ecosystem collapses at 30 producers. The
regular producer strength of a Savanna is 46. Two things you can do per turn to recover from
ecological stress, 1) hope for good cards, 2) role the dice to recover, even numbers allows
you to recover to regular plant strength, negative numbers do nothing. If when you role the
dice after getting the black card you get a 9,10,11, or 12 it is a major natural disaster, here
you must remove 2/3 of your producers and 1\2 or your special cards, and the produces that
go with them. Please remember that through their actions humans can cause ecological stress
and ecological collapse.
The Game Pieces
The game chips representing types of organisms firstly represent the amount of energy stored
with in the body mass or the organisms different trophic levels or consumption level.
(Decomposers do not belong to a trophic level.) While the chips can also represent the
population number and or species number it should be remembered there can easily be more 2ed
level trophic feeders then producers and some times greater species number then the producers.
Compare the number of insects and different species to the number of tree species and
population of tree species in a forest. Decomposers can equal or out number producers. So when
you look at a typical trophic pyramid remember you are looking at energy stored in body mass
not species or population numbers, there are some ecological pyramids that do represent
population.
The chips
The green chips represent producers (cyno-bacteria, algae, and plants)
The blue chips represent 2ed level tropic feeders (small fish, insects, herbivore mammals,
herbivore bird and Zoo plankton.)
The yellow chips represent 3rd level trophic feeders (larger fish, predatory insects, insect
consuming birds, foxes, raccoons, many types of amphibians, and reptiles most snakes and
turtles.) If another organism eats it or lives in the shadow of a top predator such as a wolf, it is a
3rd level consumer many 3rd level consumers have a mixed died of meat and plants.
The red chips represent the 4th and higher trophic levels. (Raptures, some snakes, sharks,
humans, wolfs, and lions are examples) Some ecosystems do not support a fifth trophic level.
While ecologists typically do not recognize a 6th trophic level I do recognize a 6th trophic level,
which I place humans solely into. This is because humans consume so much energy and
resources to meet their needs and to make tools, which enable them to consume more energy.
Humans developed from a 3rd level trophic feeder to 4th and higher with the advent of the making
of tools. 4th and higher level trophic level feeders are known as top predators. Top predators have
no natural enemies except other top predators. The number of trophic levels that an ecosystem
may have is limited by the amount of energy, which is available. Energy form the sun is stored in
plants and is passed down. When the energy is passed from one trophic level to the next much is
lost.
The brown chips represent decomposers, (They should be placed to the right of the other
organisms)
The Cards
The cards represent events and things that will impact the area of Earth that your ecosystem
occupies. Hence the cards model events and things that affect the biodiversity of ecosystems. If
an area of Earth is neighboring another ecosystem, such as forest neighboring a lake it creates
what is called edge affect, which is when some organisms from both ecosystems share the same
place, this increases biodiversity and net primary productivity. Not all events have equal affect
upon your ecosystem. May only have one of the following at a time except for keystone species.
Oasis
Оазис
Coral Reef
Коралловый риф
5 Cards
Болото
5 Cards
Дельта
5 Cards
Swamp
Delta
15 Cards
+ 3 Producers (Part of 64 square km area may have more then
one.)
+ 16 Producers (Part of 64 square km area may have only one.)
+ 16 Producers (Part of 64 square km area may have only one.)
+ 16 Producers (Part of 64 square km area may have only one.)
Border Forest
Border Water
Border Grass
Border Land
Border Tundra
Mountains
Border Desert
Upwelling
Лес
5 Cards
Вода
5 Cards
Травои
5 Cards
Земля
5 Cards
Тундра
5 Cards
Гора
5 Cards
Пустыня 5 Cards
4 Cards
Humans
Sustainable
Development
Protection
Человек 5 Cards
Сбалансированное
Развитие 5 Cards
Защита
6 Cards
Keystone
species
Основные Виды
30 Cards
Recovery
Возвращение
6 Cards
Role dice +
Игральная
Кость + 6 Cards
Игральная
Кость –
6 Cards
Role dice -
+ 4 Producers (may have only one.)
+ 6 Producers (may have only one.)
+ 4 Producers (may have only one.)
+ 6 Producers (may have only one.)
+ 3 Producers (may have only one.)
+ 8 Producers (Part of 64 square km area may have only one.)
+ 2 Producers (may have only one.)
+ 20 Producers (Only with continental shelf, may not have with
coral reef because cold water and sediment will destroy coral reef.)
(Part of 64 square km area may have only one.)
+ 4 Producers (Must have one top predator to have humans)
No longer do red human destruction cards impact
your ecosystem. (Loose if humans are lost.)
May use to protect from black cards and negative dice role cards.
Does not protect from human actions. Use it loose it.
+ 3 Producers per card. (may have more then one. Keystone
species through their actions create habitat for other organisms or
they assist other organisms in life functions.)
Use when your ecosystem is under ecological stress, add producers
until your ecosystem has regular producer number for you
ecosystem. If you have humans add two producers if not under
ecological stress. Also works in returning top predator.
Reflects minor changes in the environment that have positive affect.
Role 1 dice; resulting number is how many plants you add.
Reflects minor changes in the environment that have negative
affect. Role 1 dice; resulting number is number of producers you
subtract
Select the 3rd card from the top of the deck. Skip the first 2 cards.
Select the 5th card from the top of the deck. Skip the first 4 cards.
Reflects general human harm to the environment, (use even if you
have sustainable development card.) Role 1 dice the number you
get equals the number of producers destroyed.
Remove one keystone species and corresponding producers.
Skip two cards
Skip four cards
Human
destruction
Скакать
6 Cards
Скакать
3 Cards
Люди Уничтожение
Humans destroy
keystone species
Люди Уничтожение
Основные Виды
10 Cards
Люди Уничтожение Remove one border card, such as, forest, water, land, grass, desert,
Рудом
5 Cards tundra, and corresponding producers (Students select which border
zone to remove.)
Люди Уничтожение Remove one oasis card and corresponding producers.
Оазис
5 Cards
Люди Уничтожение Remove swamp card and corresponding producers.
Болото
3 Cards
Люди Уничтожение Remove delta card and corresponding producers.
Дельта
3 Cards
Люди Уничтожение Remove coral reef and corresponding producers.
Коралловый Риф
3 Cards
3 Cards Remove mountain card and 12 producers. Unless tundra or desert
then remove 8 producers.
Humans destroy
border zone
Humans destroy
oasis.
Humans destroy
Swamp
Humans destroy
delta
Humans destroy
coral reef
Humans cause
destruction to
mountains
Humans destroy*
two 2ed level
trophic feeders.
Humans destroy*
one 3rd level
trophic feeder.
Люди Уничтожение
2 Потребитель
4 Cards
Люди Уничтожение
1 Верхищника
4 Cards
Remove two 2ed level tropic feeders (If rain forest remove 5
producers, if other types of forest and grasslands remove 2
producers.) calculate effect on ecosystem.
Remove 1 3rd level trophic feeder, will likely result in loss of top
predator.
Humans destroy*
one top predator
forth level
trophic feeder
Natural disaster
or black card
Люди Уничтожение
1 Хищника
10 Cards.
Four Cards
Remove 1 top predator’ maybe loose humans. (top predator remains
lost regardless if there is enough 3rd level trophic feeders to support
a top predator until students get a 6 with one dice to get top
predator back Example you have twelve 3rd level trophic feeders
however humans destroy one top predator, you still have twelve 3rd
level trophic feeds but you do not increase to three top predators
until get a 6 with the a die turn (use one die). Student group should
hold onto the human destroy top predator card until they role a 6
with the die. Any additional top predators should be represented by
by a purple square chip. If you killed two top predators, two sixes
must be rolled but not during the same turn to get the two predators
back. You may have no more predators then your 3rd level
consumers can support.
Last if deserts, tundra, oceans, and lakes and streams have no top
predators your ecosystem is under ecological stress, and you must
have the number of producers which reflect this regardless of
special cards, calculate effects through ecosystem, get one predator
for these ecosystems you are no longer under ecological stress.
If there are one or less top predators for tropical or temperate
grasslands, you are under ecological stress with corresponding
number of producers regardless of special cards, when you have
two or more top predators you may return to regular plant strength
and special cards work. Forest ecosystems are under ecological
stress if there are two or less top predators. (Example for some
reason your tropical rainforests only have two top predators; hence
you must have no more then 75 producers regardless of other
factures because this is the ecological stress level for tropical
rainforests. If anything else bad happens you will likely have
ecological collapse. When you have three top predators you
tropical rain forest returns to regular plant strength, which is 100,
and your special cards have their normal effect.
Roll two dice if you have a 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, or 8 you have a natural
disaster if you roll a 9,10,11 or 12 you have a severe natural
disaster.
*May choose not to use in game.
Hot with lots of rain (Tropical Rainforest)
Regular producer strength = 100
Max producer strength = 178
Healthy producer strength range = 76 to 178
Ecological stress = 75 or less producers.
Ecological collapse = 66 or less producers
No more then 8 key stone species.
Can have delta, swamp, water border, grass border,
humans, and mountains.
Warm with much precipitation (Temperate forest)
Regular producer strength = 70
Max producer strength = 142
Healthy producer strength range = 53 to 142
Ecological stress = 52 or less producers.
Ecological collapse = 46 or less producers
No more then 6 key stone species.
Can have delta, swamp, water border, grass border,
humans, and mountains.
Cold with precipitation (Taiga)
Regular producer strength = 50
Max producer strength = 122
Healthy producer strength range = 38 to 122
Ecological stress = 37 or less producers.
Ecological collapse = 33 or less producers
No more then 5 key stone species.
Can have delta, swamp, water border, grass border,
humans, tundra and mountains.
Hot with some precipitation (Savanna)
Regular producer strength = 46
Max producer strength = 114
Healthy producer strength range = 34 to 114
Ecological stress = 33 or less producers.
Ecological collapse = 30 or less producers
No more then 4 key stone species.
Can have delta, swamp, mountains, border forest,
border water, humans and border desert.
Warm with some precipitation (Temperate grassland, step, or prairie)
Regular producer strength = 36
Max producer strength = 104
Healthy producer strength range = 28 to 104
Ecological stress = 27 or less producers.
Ecological collapse = 24 or less producers
No more then 4 key stone species.
Can have delta, swamp, mountains, border forest,
border water, humans and border desert.
Lakes and streams
Regular producer strength = 36
Max producer strength = 86
Healthy producer strength range = 28 to 86
Ecological stress = 27 or less producers.
Ecological collapse = 24 or less producers
No more then 4 key stone species.
Can have delta, swamp, land border, and humans.
Do not receive 4 producers with humans.
Ocean
Regular producer strength = 27
Max producer strength = 94
Healthy producer strength range = 20 to 94
Ecological stress = 19 or less producers.
Ecological collapse = 17 or less producers
No more then 3 key stone species.
Can have coral reef, delta, swamp, up welling, humans
and land border. Cannot have both coral reef and up
willing. Must have land border before you can have delta
or swamp. Do not receive 4 producers with humans.
Very cold, wet but not a lot of precipitation
Regular producer strength = 16
Max producer strength = 63
Healthy producer strength range = 13 to 63
Ecological stress = 12 or less producers.
Ecological collapse = 10 or less producers
No more then 3 key stone species.
Can have border of forest, border of water, humans,
mountains and delta. (Only get four producers with
mountains. Loose 8 producers if mountains are
destroyed.)
Usually Hot with little precipitation
Regular producer strength = 12
Max producer strength = 65
Healthy producer strength range = 10 to 65
Ecological stress = 9 or less producers.
Ecological collapse = 6 or less producers
No more then 2 key stone species.
No more then 3 oasis
Can have delta, humans, mountains, water border and
grass border. (Only get four producers with mountains.
Loose 8 producers if mountains are destroyed.)
This game should be played with groups of students; there is enough cards for 2 groups of
students of about 6 students per group, divide the materials in half. One student can be the
historian, this students records all changes, events, characteristics of the 65 square km of
World, in the group journal. One student can use a calculator to determine the changes in
number of colored blocks representing each trophic level and decomposers. One student can
act as a banker for the colored cubes; one student can roll the dice while another can pick the
cards.
Game Created By: Michael Marsh PCV