distripution of food chains Flashcards
What is meant by interdependence between organisms?
When living organisms depend on one another to survive
How are organisms in a food web interdependent?
If one organism dies out then there is no food for other organisms so they will die out.
If the producer in a food web dies out what happens to the other organisms in the food web?
They will all die out as no energy can enter the food chain.
What is bioaccumulation?
When chemicals transfer along a food chain and are stored in an animal’s body.
Give an example of a chemical that can bioaccumulate
Pesticide
Insecticide
Mercury
Name a pesticide/Insecticide that was used to stop insects eating farmers crops until it was discovered that it bioaccumulates
DDT
What effect did DDT have on birds?
It made their egg shells thin so that they broke before their chicks had developed. Bird population decreased.