Question

Pollution caused by pesticides is more hazardous to:

• A. Herbivores
• B. Producers
• C. First level carnivores
• D. Top carnivores

Answer 1

The correct option is D Top carnivores

Biomagnification refers to the increase in the concentration of non-degradable pollutants (for example, pesticides) 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. Since the trophic level of top carnivores is at the fourth level, they will have the highest amount of these toxic substances.

Hence, the correct answer is D.