What is a disadvantage of being at the top food chain?
Being at the top of a food chain comes with the disadvantage of biomagnification. As organisms consume prey organisms that have already accumulated contaminants, pollutants or toxins, these substances become more concentrated at each trophic level. This process is called biomagnification. As a result, top predators, such as sharks, bears and eagles, accumulate the highest concentrations of contaminants in their bodies. This can have negative impacts on their health, including reduced growth, reproductive problems, and increased susceptibility to disease. In some cases, biomagnification can even lead to population decline or extinction.