Question

The concentration of chemical food contaminants is higher in birds of prey than in many of the individual organisms that they eat. Which of the following statement(s) best explain the reason for the higher concentration of food contaminants in birds of prey?

• A. Birds of prey store more of the food they eat.
• B. Birds of prey catch animals with chemical contaminants more easily.
• C. Only birds of prey store chemical contaminants.
• D. Chemical contaminants are stored and magnified in organisms to higher up the food chain.

Answer 1

The correct option is D

Chemical contaminants are stored and magnified in organisms to higher up the food chain.

Chemical contaminants enter the organisms through polluted water and soil and then they get accumulated up the ladder of the food chain. So, higher the level in the food chain, more is the concentration of the contaminants. This phenomenon is called as biomagnification.