Question

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 eagle. In 3-5 sentences explain how introducing DDT into an ecosystem allowed it to make its way into the bodies of bald eagle. Be sure to use the terms food chain, producers, biomagnification, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers in your answer.

Answer 1

When DDT was introduced into an ecosystem, it primarily affected the producers, such as plants and phytoplankton, that absorbed or accumulated the chemical from the environment. As primary consumers, small insects and herbivores consumed these contaminated producers, leading to the accumulation of DDT in their bodies. As these infected organisms became prey for secondary consumers, like small fish, the concentration of DDT increased further due to biomagnification—a process where toxins become more concentrated at each trophic level. Ultimately, the tertiary consumers, such as bald eagles that preyed on these contaminated fish, experienced the highest levels of DDT, resulting in harmful effects like eggshell thinning.