Relate the accumulation of a chemical in an organism to the organism’s trophic level. Explain why bioaccumulation is a greater problem for organisms at higher trophic levels.
Organisms are linked to one another in an ecosystem by the flow of energy and the cycling of materials. Humans are an integral part of the natural system and human activities can alter the stability of ecosystems.
Matter needed to sustain life is continually recycled among and between organisms and the environment. Energy from the Sun flows irreversibly through ecosystems and is conserved as organisms use and transform it.