SCIENCE 10

Biomagnification
Today we are going to explore BIOMAGNIFICATION. Toxins s!"# as $er"!ry and %%T
"an a""!$!late in t#e tiss!es o& organis$s. T#ese toxins are t#en trans&erred &ro$ organis$s
in one trop#i" le'el to anot#er w#en t#e tiss!es "ontaining toxins are "ons!$ed.
What You Are Going To Do
Today o!r "lassroo$ represents a $arine e"osyste$. Ea"# o& yo! is going to represent t#e
di&&erent organis$s &ro$ ea"# lin( in t#e &ood "#ain o& o!r e"osyste$. MA)E S*+E ,O*
-+ITE ,O*+ NAME ON T.E BAC) OF T.E FIS./O+GANISM ,O* A+E GI0EN
1i& yo! are one o& t#e s$all &is# p!t yo!r na$e on only ONE o& t#e two &is# yo! are gi'en2.
,o! #a'e 10 $in!tes to tra'el aro!nd o!r e"osyste$ loo(ing &or organis$s to eat &ro$ t#e
trop#i" le'el 3elow yo!. 4ay attention to t#e des"riptions o& t#e prey and predators o& ea"#
o& t#e organis$s 3elow.
-#en yo! eat an organis$ re$e$3er t#at yo! are also 5eating6 all o& t#e organis$s it #as
already "ons!$ed so ta(e A77 o& t#ese organis$s. ,O* MA, ON7, 5EAT6 ONE
O+GANISM AT A TIME 8 ,O* MA, NOT CONS*ME BOT. OF T.E SMA77 FIS.
F+OM ONE 4E+SON.
-#en yo! #a'e 3een eaten stay wit# t#e person w#o ate yo!. At t#e end o& t#e a"ti'ity
e'eryone s#o!ld 3elong to a gro!p t#at #as 3een eaten 3y one o& t#e FI0E large &is#.
The Organisms
Large Fish 8 eat 3ot# t#e $edi!$ and t#e s$all &is#.
Medium Fish 8 eat only t#e s$all &is#9 are #!nted and eaten 3y t#e large &is#. Medium fish
must consume AT LEAST 2 small fish before being eaten.
Small Fish 8 eat only plan(ton9 are #!nted 3y t#e large and t#e $edi!$ &is#. Small fish
must eat AT LEAST 1 plankton before they may be eaten.
Plankton 8 $i"ros"opi" organis$s. A3sor3 n!trients and
toxins &ro$ t#e water.
Biomagnification uestions
!ame"
#$ -#at type o& &is# did yo! 3egin wit#:
SCIENCE 10
7arge
Medi!$
S$all
-#at trop#i" le'el does yo!r organis$ 3elong to: Are yo! a pri$ary se"ondary or tertiary "ons!$er:
%$ Co$plete t#e ta3le 3elow wit# all o& t#e organis$s eaten 3y t#e large &is# in yo!r gro!p.
a$ I& ea"# plan(ton "ontained ;<0 (= o& energy note t#e a$o!nt o& energy at ea"# trop#i" le'el
&or t#e organis$s in yo!r gro!p.
&$ T#e n!$3ers on t#e 3a"( o& t#e plan(ton represent t#e >!antity o& $er"!ry in ea"# plan(ton
1!nits 44M ? 4arts 4er Million ? 1$g/100072. All o& t#is toxin is a3sor3ed 3y "ons!$ers.
Note t#e >!antity o& $er"!ry at ea"# le'el.
c$ Cal"!late and note t#e >!antity o& $er"!ry 1in 44M2 t#at a SING7E organis$ at ea"# trop#i"
le'el wo!ld #a'e 1i& ea"# organis$ #ad an e>!al a$o!nt2.
Organism !ame !um&er of
Organisms
'a( Amount of
)nerg*
'&( uantit* of
Mercur* 'PPM(
'c( uantit* of
Mercur* 'PPM(
+n a S+!GL)
Organism
4lan(ton
S$all Fis#
Medi!$ Fis#
7arge Fis# #
,$ -#y does t#is a""!$!lation o& toxins present a greater pro3le$ &or organis$s #ig#er in t#e &ood
"#ain 1in #ig#er trop#i" le'els2:
-$ .)FL)/T+O! 0)ST+O!" -#y do yo! t#in( it is re"o$$ended to eat no $ore t#an one
ser'ing o& t!na a wee(: