Which process describes toxins becoming more concentrated in higher trophic levels?

• A. Energy pyramid
• B. Number pyramid
• C. Biological magnification
• D. Biomass pyramid

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is how certain toxins become more concentrated as you move up the food chain. This is biological magnification (biomagnification): as predators eat many contaminated prey, toxins that are not easily metabolized or excreted accumulate in their tissues, especially fat, and the overall concentration increases at each higher trophic level. Over time, top predators end up with much higher toxin levels than organisms at lower levels.

Energy pyramids show how energy diminishes at higher levels, mostly as heat, and don’t track chemical concentration. Number pyramids count individuals, not pollutants. Biomass pyramids track total mass of organisms, which doesn’t explain why toxin levels rise with each step up the chain.