AI-generated practice question — model-generated for extra practice, not a previous-year CBSE board question.
Pathway: The pesticide sprayed on the paddy field is washed into the pond. Microscopic organisms (phytoplankton/zooplankton) absorb it → small fish eat these organisms → large fish eat small fish → humans in the village eat the fish, thus consuming the pesticide.
Phenomenon: This is called biological magnification (biomagnification) — the progressive increase in concentration of non-degradable substances at each successive trophic level.
Why humans are more affected: Paddy plants are at the first trophic level, so they accumulate the least amount of pesticide. Humans are at the highest trophic level; the pesticide concentration multiplies at each level, so humans receive the maximum accumulated dose.
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