Procedure
• Students will begin by gathering their materials, then measuring a two-meter by two-meter plot in the
lawn. This area represents their ecosystem and will be marked with the yarn and plot markers provided.
• Beans (of both colors) will be spread throughout the ecosystem. Make sure the beans are distributed
through all parts of the plot, not just poured in one particular spot.
• Three team members will gather food (beans) for a full minute for each scenario.
• At the end of the minute, beans will be counted and recorded in the data tables provided. Each scenario
has its own data table.
• Once the bean numbers are recorded, the students will use the following food calculations to determine
the population numbers for the mice and hawks:
a. three beans feed one mouse
b. four mice feed one hawk
• Once the calculations are complete, students will sprinkle the collected beans back into the ecosystem.
This will happen each time you are finished gathering food to represent reproduction.
• Different interactions occur for each scenario, all of which are caused by direct and indirect human
impact. Descriptions are provided in the lab for each event.
a. Scenario 1—Normal conditions: Nothing changes
b. Scenario 2—Disease introduction: All the food gathering mice are sick except for one
c. Scenario 3—Invasive species (worm) introduction: Only green beans can be gathered, the white
beans have been eaten by the invasive species.
d. Scenario 4—Predator number increase: New food calculations based on food availability; worms
still present so only green beans can be gathered.
e. Six beans feed one mouse
f. Two mice feed one hawk
g.
Scenario 5 – Land development: Ecosystem (and therefore the space in which students are
allowed to collect food) is decreased in size by half; worms still present so only green beans can be
gathered; continue to use food calculations from scenario 4.
Example completed data table:
Post Lab Discussion Points
• The range of human impact on population dynamics (both direct and indirect)
• Impact of invasive species
• Food equation for population numbers—accuracy
• Population requirements—how many organisms required for reproduction and growth?
• Bottleneck effect
• Lab error and correction/prevention
• Human mitigation (reducing impact) and unexpected consequences