Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: _________________
Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification Worksheet
Introduction:
Imagine a pond near a farmer’s field that is infested with harmful insects. The farmer sprays the field with
DDT. Wind blows some of the pesticide onto the marsh plants. Each plant receives 1 unit of DDT. The DDT
stays in the cells of the plant (bioaccumulation).
The following food chain represents the flow of energy in this pond ecosystem.
Investigation:
1. Suppose that a minnow eats 100 marsh plants in one year. How much DDT builds up in the body of the
minnow? Write that number below the minnow in the food chain.
2. A perch eats 50 minnows in one year. How much DDT accumulates in its body? Write that number below
the perch in the food chain.
3. The red-tailed hawk consumes 20 perch in one year. What amount of the pesticide builds up in this
consumer? Write the number underneath the red-tailed hawk in the food chain.
4. Complete the pyramid below in order to represent the units of DDT in each trophic level of the food chain.
Keep the marsh plants at the bottom of the pyramid.
Analysis Questions:
1) Define Bioaccumulation.
2) Define Biomagnification.
Red-Tailed Hawk/Tertiary Consumer
Perch/Secondary Consumer
Minnows/Primary Consumer
Marsh Plants/Producer
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3) How does the DDT originally enter the food chain?
4) Which organism had the most DDT in their bodies?
a. Using the terms bioaccumulation and Biomagnification, explain how this organisms ended up with the
greatest amount of DDT in their system?
5) What is the relationship between the trophic level and the amount of DDT found in the body of these
organisms?
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