Pesticides in water sources are alarming because they biomagnify as they build up in food chains. What does this imply?

Pesticides in water sources are alarming because they biomagnify as they build up in food chains. What does this imply?

• A. They are quickly eliminated by organisms at all levels.
• B. They accumulate in organisms at higher trophic levels.
• C. They exclusively affect pests and not other organisms.
• D. They are unlikely to affect top predators.

Answer: (B)

Biomagnification means a substance becomes more concentrated as it moves up the food chain. When pesticides persist in the environment and accumulate in an organism’s tissues, predators at higher trophic levels eat many contaminated prey, so the pesticide builds up to higher levels in their bodies. This is why the implication is that pesticides accumulate in organisms at higher trophic levels, putting top predators at greater risk even when water concentrations are low. In contrast, the idea that they’re quickly eliminated, only affect pests, or don’t affect top predators conflicts with how biomagnification works.

Biomagnification means a substance becomes more concentrated as it moves up the food chain. When pesticides persist in the environment and accumulate in an organism’s tissues, predators at higher trophic levels eat many contaminated prey, so the pesticide builds up to higher levels in their bodies. This is why the implication is that pesticides accumulate in organisms at higher trophic levels, putting top predators at greater risk even when water concentrations are low. In contrast, the idea that they’re quickly eliminated, only affect pests, or don’t affect top predators conflicts with how biomagnification works.