Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification Quiz

What is bioaccumulation?

• The process by which toxins break down in the environment

• The process by which toxins build up in individual organisms over time

• The process by which toxins are passed from one trophic level to the next within a food web and thereby increase in concentration

• The process by which toxins are produced by living organisms

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-5

What is biomagnification?

• The process by which toxins enter the food web by building up in individual organisms over time

• The process by which toxins are passed from one trophic level to the next within a food web and thereby increase in concentration

• The process by which toxins break down in the environment

• The process by which toxins are produced by living organisms

Which type of chemicals are of primary concern in bioaccumulation and biomagnification?

*More than one choice may apply!

• Synthetic (man-made) chemicals

• Chemicals that can be metabolized by living things

• Chemicals that do not break down easily in the environment

• Naturally occurring chemicals

• Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

Which of the following are examples of a Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP)?

• Water

• DDT

• Oxygen

• Carbon dioxide

• PCBs

Why can POPs like DDT and PCBs bioaccumulate and biomagnify?

*More than one answer may apply!

• persist in the environment for long periods of time

• move within water

• can be metabolized easily by living organisms

• dissolve into the fatty tissues of living organisms

• remain in singular areas in the environment

Where does bioaccumulation occur within a food web?

• At every trophic level of the food web

• At the base of the food web

• At the middle of the food web

• At the top of the food web

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

What happens during biomagnification?

• Toxins are produced by living organisms

• Toxins enter the food web by building up in individual organisms over time

• Toxins break down in the environment

• Toxins are passed from one trophic level to the next within a food web increasing in concentration

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-5

Which organisms are most impacted by biomagnification of POPs?

• Phytoplankton

• Apex predators

• Zooplankton

• Herbivores

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-5

What have researchers found in the blubber of Arctic orcas?

• Extremely high levels of oxygen

• Extremely high levels of DDT

• Extremely high levels of PCBs

• Extremely high levels of carbon dioxide

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-5

NGSS.HS-LS2-7

How are mother orcas passing contaminants to their young?

• Through their milk

• Through their behavior

• Through their hunting techniques

• Through their communication