Directions: In the following questions, a statement of assertion (A) ...
Harmful chemicals accumulate progressively at each trophic level. Since man is at the apex of all the food chains, the concentration of harmful chemicals may be more in human beings. The phenomenon involved is known as biomagnification.
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Directions: In the following questions, a statement of assertion (A) ...
Assertion (A): The concentration of harmful chemicals is more in human beings.
Reason (R): Man is at the apex of the food chain.
Explanation:
To understand the given assertion and reason, let's break down the concepts involved:
Apex of the Food Chain:
The apex predator or consumer is the topmost organism in a food chain or food web. It is not preyed upon by any other organism in the ecosystem. In the case of human beings, they are considered to be at the apex of the food chain because they do not have any natural predators.
Concentration of Harmful Chemicals:
Harmful chemicals can enter the environment through various sources such as industrial pollution, agriculture, and human activities. These chemicals can accumulate in the environment and make their way through the food chain. This process is known as biomagnification.
Explanation of the Assertion and Reason:
The given assertion states that the concentration of harmful chemicals is more in human beings. This is true because as humans are at the top of the food chain, they consume organisms at lower trophic levels that may have bioaccumulated these chemicals. Since humans consume a variety of organisms as food, they can accumulate a higher concentration of harmful chemicals compared to organisms lower in the food chain.
The reason given for the assertion is that man is at the apex of the food chain. This is also true because humans, as apex predators, do not have natural predators that consume them. Therefore, there is no transfer of harmful chemicals from other organisms to humans, resulting in a higher concentration of these chemicals in their bodies.
Conclusion:
Both the assertion and the reason are true, and the reason correctly explains why the concentration of harmful chemicals is more in human beings. Therefore, the correct answer is option 'A': Both assertion (A) and reason (R) are true, and reason (R) is the correct explanation of assertion (A).
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