AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Answer and Explanation: As Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) moves up the trophic levels in food chains, or food webs, its concentration increases. This happens because DDT is fat soluble and so it accumulates in the bodies of organisms which come into contact with it.

Detailed explanation-2: -The concentration of DDT increases, as it moves or travels along the food chains. Its concentration is maximum in top trophic level. This process is called biomagnification.

Detailed explanation-3: -Biomagnification is the buildup of concentration of a substance (x) in a food chain. For example the DDT concentration in parts per million increases with trophic level. Concentrations build up in organism’s fat and tissue. Predators accumulate higher levels than prey.

Detailed explanation-4: -Biomagnification happens when toxic chemicals, like DDT, whose remains in the environment are consumed indirectly by organisms through food. When an organism in the higher food chain consumes the lower organism containing such chemicals, the chemicals can get accumulated in the higher organism.

Detailed explanation-5: -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.