ddt was developed as a synthetic insecticide. It was used to kill insects across the united states. in 1972, ddt was banned for use in the united states because it was found to cause egg-shell thinning in bald eagles. in 3-5 sentences explain how introducing DDT into an ecosystem allowed it to make its way into the bodies of bald eagles.

Be sure to use the terms food chain, producers, biomagnification, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers in your answer.

1 answer

DDT was introduced into the ecosystem primarily as an insecticide, affecting various producers and primary consumers. When DDT contaminated the environment, it was absorbed by plants (the producers) and eaten by insects and small animals (primary consumers). As these organisms ingested DDT, it accumulated in their bodies, a process known as biomagnification, where the concentration of the toxin increased at each trophic level. As bald eagles, which are tertiary consumers, fed on these contaminated primary and secondary consumers, they ingested DDT in high concentrations, leading to egg-shell thinning and contributing to their population decline.