Which among grass, goat, tiger and vulture, in a food chain, will have the maximum concentration of harmful chemicals in its body due to contamination of pesticides in the soil?
A. Grass since it grows in the contaminated soil
B. Goat since it eats the grass
C. Tiger since it feed on the goat which feeds on the grass
D. Vulture since it eats the tiger, which in turn eats the goat, which eats the grass

Question

Which among grass, goat, tiger and vulture, in a food chain, will have the maximum concentration of harmful chemicals in its body due to contamination of pesticides in the soil?
A. Grass since it grows in the contaminated soil
B. Goat since it eats the grass
C. Tiger since it feed on the goat which feeds on the grass
D. Vulture since it eats the tiger, which in turn eats the goat, which eats the grass

Vedantu Content Team · Accepted Answer

Hint: Biomagnification or bioamplification or biological magnification is characterized as a toxin concentration for example, pesticides accumulating in the tissues of organisms that increase in the food chain at each successively higher stageComplete Answer:  In living organisms, the aggregation of chemicals is known as biomagnification. If poisonous substances such as pesticides are unnecessarily used to protect plants from undesirable pests, they are used. In food items, they can accumulate. The plants are eaten by the goat, followed by the vulture, which is then consumed by the tiger. In the bodies of the highest users, the full concentration of the chemicals takes place. Additional information:When an animal absorbs food containing DDT residue, by a mechanism called bioaccumulation, DDT accumulates in the tissue of the animal. As a result of a mechanism called biomagnification, the higher an animal is in the food chain (e.g. a tertiary customer such as seals), the greater the concentration of DDT in their body.Biomagnification-affect humans tend to be at increased risk of contracting certain tumours, liver failure, birth defects, brain injury, and heart disease. Mercury, lead, chromium, cobalt, and cadmium are among the contaminants blamed for these health issues.Thus, choice (D) Vulture is the right answer since it eats the tiger, which in turn eats the goat, which eats the hay.Note: Bioaccumulation refers to the buildup within the tissue of a chosen organism of a toxic chemical. The better an animal is on the meal chain, biomagnification corresponds back to the increased knowledge of a toxic chemical.