Question

In a polluted environment, the maximum concentration of a pollutant will be found in:

• A. Primary producers
• B. Tertiary consumers
• C. Secondary Consumers
• D. Primary consumers

Answer 1

The correct option is B Tertiary consumers

Biomagnification refers to the increase in the concentration of non-degradable pollutants or toxic substances at successive trophic levels in a food chain. This happens when a toxic substance consumed by the organisms of a trophic level cannot be metabolized. When these organisms are consumed by the organisms of higher trophic levels, the toxic substance is passed on to the next higher trophic level. The amount of the toxic substance thus keeps on increasing in successive trophic levels. So, the amount of these substances will be the highest in the organism/s at the topmost trophic level.

Since tertiary consumers usually occupy the topmost trophic level in a food chain, therefore, option B is the correct answer.