Which of the following organism is likely to have more concentration o...
Organisms found in the higher trophic level show greater accumulation of pesticides due to the phenomenon of biomagnification - which is defined as the gradual increase in concentration of harmful pesticides in the food chain, with increase in trophic level.
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Which of the following organism is likely to have more concentration o...
Explanation:
DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) is a pesticide that was commonly used in the mid-20th century to control pests such as mosquitoes and agricultural pests. However, it was later found to be harmful to the environment and animals, including humans.
Bioaccumulation:
DDT is a fat-soluble substance, which means it can accumulate in the fatty tissues of organisms that ingest it. This process is called bioaccumulation, and it occurs when an organism absorbs a substance at a rate faster than it can eliminate it. As a result, the concentration of the substance increases in the organism's body over time.
Magnification:
DDT can also undergo magnification in the food chain, which means that the concentration of DDT increases as it moves up the food chain. This is because organisms at higher trophic levels consume more prey items, each of which may contain small amounts of DDT. As a result, the concentration of DDT becomes more concentrated in organisms at higher trophic levels.
Answer:
Option C: Top carnivores are likely to have a higher concentration of DDT in their bodies than other organisms. This is because they are at the top of the food chain and consume other organisms that have already bioaccumulated and magnified DDT in their bodies. As a result, the concentration of DDT becomes more concentrated in top carnivores. Therefore, top carnivores such as eagles, hawks, and polar bears are more likely to have high concentrations of DDT in their bodies.
Which of the following organism is likely to have more concentration o...
Persistent pesticides e.g., organochlorines or chlorinated hydrocarbons like DDT pass into food chain and increase in amount per unit weight of organisms with the rise in trophic level due to their accumulation in fat of animals. The phenomenon is called as biomagnification or bioconcentration or biological amplification.
• Higher the trophic level of an organism in a food chain higher will be the level of bioaccumulation. Hence, top carnivore is likely to have highest concentration of persistent DDT in its body.
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