Question

The concentration of DDT has increased alarmingly in organisms today. But the highest concentration of DDT is seen in the tertiary consumers. This phenomenon is called ___.

Answer 1

Tertiary consumers form the highest trophic level. The amount of non-biodegradable toxic substances accumulated within an organism's body increases higher up the food chain, or as we go higher up the trophic levels. The steep increase in the amount of DDT in the tertiary consumers as compared to primary consumers is known as biomagnification.