What does this picture show? Chapter 53 Flashcards | Quizlet X W A Study Guide to BIOL 121 Unit x +es, Sheets & Slides chrome-extension /bpmcn/kladm gpchkicefoigmkfalc/views/app.htmlmal Text YArial11 ▼ BIUConcentration of PCBs▼Herringgulleggs124 ppmSmelt1.04 ppmAZooplankton Phytoplankton0.123 ppm0.025 ppmLake trout4.83 ppmEE

A food chain is a linear representation of how organisms living in an ecosystem depend upon each other to fulfilling their nutritional requirements.The given image illustrates the process of "biological magnification" of PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) in the food chain.The given figure depicts the bioaccumulation of toxic chemical Polychlorinated Biphenyls that once enters the food chain cannot be removed. This whole process of bioaccumulation of toxic substances is called biomagnification or biological magnification. In the food, chain organism is dependent on the higher organism, so in such cases, if any organism ingests these toxic substances then these toxic substances are passed on to the next higher trophic levels. So, bioaccumulation occurs when lower organisms of the food chain ingest toxins, as a result, due to the passing of these toxins as it into the next generation, their concentration goes on increasing along with increasing trophic levels, and organisms belonging to the topmost tropic level the highest amount of accumulated toxic metals. In the given scenario bioaccumulation of PCB is shown, the primary producers are phytoplanktons primarily consume PCBs and retain them as they cannot be excreted. When these are further consumed by primary consumers which are zooplanktons, the PCBs get as it passed on and the process continues for the secondary consumer (smelt), tertiary consumers (Lake trout), and Quarternary consumers (Herring). This is why herring gull has the highest concentration of accumulated PCBs.Thus, bioaccumulation results in the conversation of harmful toxic substances in the food chain which can not be excreted and so are as it is passed onto the higher trophic levels of the food chain.