DDT, a chemical commonly found in pesticides from the 1940s to the 1960s, was banned in the United States in the mid-1970s because it caused harmful effects to birds of prey. While... DDT, a chemical commonly found in pesticides from the 1940s to the 1960s, was banned in the United States in the mid-1970s because it caused harmful effects to birds of prey. While it is still used in some countries today to control malaria, it remains banned in the United States. The following claim was issued by the National Park Service: "Hawks are in the most danger from the toxicity of the DDT chemical." Support this claim using evidence from the ecological pyramid.
Understand the Problem
The question is asking to support the claim that "Hawks are in the most danger from the toxicity of the DDT chemical" using evidence from the ecological pyramid. This requires understanding the concept of the ecological pyramid and how toxins like DDT accumulate and affect different trophic levels, with a focus on why apex predators like hawks are most vulnerable.
Answer
Hawks are at the top of the ecological pyramid and accumulate the highest concentration of DDT through biomagnification, making them most vulnerable.
Hawks are at the top of the ecological pyramid. DDT biomagnifies, increasing in concentration as it moves up each trophic level. Therefore, hawks accumulate the highest concentration of DDT, making them the most vulnerable to its toxic effects.
Answer for screen readers
Hawks are at the top of the ecological pyramid. DDT biomagnifies, increasing in concentration as it moves up each trophic level. Therefore, hawks accumulate the highest concentration of DDT, making them the most vulnerable to its toxic effects.
More Information
DDT's impact on birds of prey, particularly thinning eggshells, led to its ban in the US, highlighting the dangers of biomagnification.
Tips
The ecological pyramid illustrates how energy and biomass decrease at each higher trophic level, while toxins like DDT increase in concentration due to biomagnification.
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