Name
Period
Date
Biodiversity Lab
Objective: Student will understand how biodiversity is able to maintain the stability and health of an
ecosystem. Biodiversity protects species from going extinct and allows for a higher survival rate. It can be
measured by genetic diversity, species richness and species evenness. Students will be able to understand
their difference of measurement. Students will also be able to explain ecosystem diversity and why it is
important.
Rules: No eating the candy until AFTER the lab, remain in groups of 3-4, all individuals must participate in
at least one section and answer the questions from one section.
Materials: Colorful fabric, 10 jelly beans, 15 candy corn, 10 colored beans
Introduction: The habitat is the colorful fabric. The animals living in the habitat are the jelly beans and
candy corn. Jelly beans represent 1 type of species and Candy Corn represent another type of species.
YOU are the predator trying to capture these species of prey.
Section 1: Genetic Diversity
1. Have one student be the predator. The other students will set up the habitat.
2. The predator needs to turn around so he cannot see the setup of the habitat.
3. Helpers: Place all the candy corn on the fabric. Spread them out so some are
blended into the color of the fabric and some are not.
4. The predator will turn around quickly once and pick up the candy he/she sees first
and then turn back around.
5. Have the predator do this 5 times, picking up only one piece of candy at a time.
6. Make a chart of his/her captures.
Attempt 1
# of
candy
left in
habitat
Circle
where
the
candy
placed
14
Attempt 2
13
Attempt 3
12
Attempt 4
11
Attempt 5
10
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
(camouflaged) (camouflaged) (camouflaged) (camouflaged) (camouflaged)
Visible
Visible
Visible
Visible
Visible
A. Do the species of Candy Corn have a lot of biodiversity? Explain your reasoning.
B. Looking at the table, did more hidden or visible Candy Corn get captured?
C. If there are only Candy Corn, what do you predict will happen to the species after
15 attempts of capturing the Candy Corn?
Name
Period
Date
Biodiversity Lab
Section 2: Species Evenness
1. Have someone new become the predator and put the candy corn back with it’s
kind.
2. Have the new predator turn around so he/she can’t see the setup of the habitat.
3. Helpers: Place 5 jelly beans on the fabric and spread them out. Also spread out all
the candy corn. Do not attempt to hide any of the candy.
4. The predator will turn around quickly to snatch any candy he/she sees and turn
around immediately.
5. Have the predator do this 10 times, picking up only one candy at a time.
6. Make a chart of his/her captures.
Kind of Candy
Captured
# of Total Candy
Left
Attempt 1
19
Attempt 2
18
Attempt 3
17
Attempt 4
16
Attempt 5
15
Attempt 6
14
Attempt 7
13
Attempt 8
12
Attempt 9
11
Attempt 10
10
Was the candy
visible or hidden
(camouflaged)?
A. Did any of the species go extinct? Were any of the species endangered of
becoming extinct? Explain your reasoning for this occurrence.
B. Which candy had more species evenness? Explain your reasoning.
C. Which species had a higher chance of surviving? Why?
Name
Period
Date
Biodiversity Lab
Section 3: Species Richness
1. Choose a new predator and return all candies back to their kind.
2. Have the predator turn around so he/she can’t see the setup of the habitat.
3. Helpers: Place all species (candies and beans) on the fabric and spread them out.
Do not attempt to hide any of the items.
4. The predator will turn around quickly to snatch up what he/she sees and turn
around immediately.
5. Have the predator do this 20 times, each time picking up only one item at a time.
6. Record the captures using tally marks on the chart.
Jelly beans
Candy Corn
Beans
Number of
captures
Color (s) of the
specie
A. Was it harder to pick a candy to capture this time? How did species richness
affect the capturing process? Explain your reasoning.
B. Which species was captured the most? Why? Explain your reasoning.
Postlab Questions
Name
Period
Date
Biodiversity Lab
1. Did the fabric provide a good hiding place for your species? Which species was
easier to hide than the rest? How can ecosystem diversity increase the survival rate of
all your species?
2. Explain how biodiversity maintains the health and stability of the ecosystem using
examples from this lab in all 3 sections.
A) Genetic Diversity-
B) Species Evenness-
C) Species Richness-