Name:                                                                                                                        Period:                                 

 

Food Web Kerplunk: An Internet Ecosystem Simulation

“Foodweb Kerplunk” designed by Ginger Booth, East Haven, CT

ÓYale University, www.gingerbooth.com, www.cbc.yale.edu

INTRODUCTION:

You are city councilman of a suburban California town.  You are trying to maintain balance of the native

chaparral, the local ecosystem, money spent for the community as it grows and develops and your popularity

as the city councilman.

PROBLEM:

Can you preserve the wildlife of the ecosystem of your community as you try and balance money spending and

your popularity so you can be re-elected as city councilman?

OBJECTIVES:

Try to achieve the highest score in the class; high scores receive a “FREE 100 COUPON”

PROCEDURES:

1. Open Internet Explorer and type in “www.gingerbooth.com”.
2. On the menu bar at the top of the page, click on the “Simulators” tab.
3. Scroll down to the second simulator under the “Human & the Environment” title.
4. Click on the title “Foodweb Kerplunk” This will take you to the game.
5. Scroll down and find the small picture of the game, click on “Launch Game”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOW TO PLAY THE GAME:

1. On the game field, you see the chaparral ecosystem, the foodweb and the populations of all the

            organisms in graph form.  You are playing the Intro version.

2. In the lower left hand corner you will find 4 playing cards.  The arrows at the bottom of the card show

            how each score will be affected.  On the right, your beginning score: 100 for the ecosystem, 100 in

            money and 26 in popularity.

3. The highlighted card in purple must be played, so click on it.  That is nature taking a turn.  The game

            will then give you a choice of 3 highlighted cards to choose from.  Each card you play has an effect on

            all scores of each category.

4. Follow the instructions for each pop-up window; they will come up occasionally as you play.  Each

            option shows how each score will be affected by arrows up or down.  Make a choice and click “OK”.

5. The game takes 19 turns to play.  At the end of the game, nature will take 10 more turns to see how the

            ecosystem reacts.  Then your score will be displayed.

6. Record your scores in the table.
7. Click on the “New Game” button.  Then select “Alt. Intro” 19 turns, different cards. Follow step 2-6.
8. Click on the “New Game” button.  Then select “Long” 30 turns, different cards. Follow step 2-6.

 

The Game Board

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Scores

 

 

 

ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:

1. What was your biggest challenge as councilman trying to maintain the ecosystem?

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

2. What area part of your score were you most concerned with?                                                                    

            Why?                                                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

3. Did any of your animals become extinct?  If so, which ones and why?

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

           

4. In real life, how does the extinction of one organism affect the other organisms in the ecosystem?

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

5. There are many natural and man-made changes on an environment that can affect the ecosystem and

            thus the types of organisms living there.

            Choose one of the following man-made environmental changes and describe how it would

             impact the everyday lives of the organisms living there?

a.      deforestation

b.      insecticide application

c.      oil spill

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

6. List three (3) other man-made changes to the environment?

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

7. Now choose one of the following natural changes to the environment and describe how it would impact

            the everyday lives of the organisms living there?

a.      drought

b.      volcanic eruption

c.      flooding

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

8. Think of the recent natural disasters: the tsunami in Indonesia or the mudslides in California.  They had

            a major effect on the environment.  How did the terrain or landscape change and how do you think the

            organisms living there will adapt to such changes? Give examples of one plant and one animal.

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

 

9. How can you as citizen help maintain our environment?  Give three examples.

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

10. After playing the game and using your knowledge of ecosystems, you are now more aware of how

            fragile our environment is.  What must we do as human beings to maintain our global ecosystems?

            Explain.