Biological Magnification Lab on a Pollutant in the Ecosystem

Biomagnification: The increasing concentration of a substance, such as a toxic chemical, in the tissues of organisms at successively higher levels in a food chain. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZk6vcmLcKw

Think about this: Does the pollutant Claim: Pollutants get incorporated into each trophic level because organisms are dependent upon each other for food. Think about this: Does the pollutant affect each trophic level the same?

Meet the consumers Eagle Shrimp Fish

The Aquatic Ecosystem All Are Consumers

Can you find the lower level consumers. Look for the crackers Can you find the lower level consumers? Look for the crackers. Each cracker represents the pollutant that was eaten.

Notice that the middle level consumer now has the cracker Notice that the middle level consumer now has the cracker. Where did they Get the cracker from? The small cup ( shrimp cup) was eaten by the medium cup.

Diagram of what is happening during your lab activity- Marine Ecosystem: Diagram of what is happening during your lab activity- Find the shrimp. What is its trophic level?

Post Lab: The previous slide shows the food chain studied. Pollutant Air water soil

How Mercury Gets in Organsims Old Film DDT and Rachel Carson Acadia, Air Pollution and Mercury Family Video on Mercury Biological Magnification and Bioaccumulation DDT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9un31VJ_cs Pesticides Fish, Mercury and You