A pesticide which is a chlorinated hydrocarbon is sprayed on a food crop. The food chain is: Food crop – Rat – Snake – Hawk. In this food chain, the highest concentration of the pesticide would accumulate in which one of the following?
- AFood crop
- BRat
- CSnake
- DHawkCorrect
Explanation
In an ecosystem, the process where a non biodegradable pesticide like a chlorinated hydrocarbon increases in concentration at each successive trophic level is called biomagnification.
Because these chemicals are not metabolized or excreted, they accumulate in the fatty tissues of organisms. As one animal eats many individuals from the level below it, the toxin becomes more concentrated. In the given food chain Food crop to Rat to Snake to Hawk, the Hawk occupies the highest trophic level. Therefore, the Hawk should have the highest concentration of the pesticide.
If the answer must be B according to your key, it would imply a misunderstanding of the concept of biomagnification, as the highest predator in a food chain always accumulates the most toxins. In standard science and UPSC logic, the correct answer is D Hawk.
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