Question

Question 1. Using the example of the peregrine falcon and DDT, explain why ecotoxicology is a sub- discipline of ecology, rather than toxicology.

Answer 1

Question

Peregrine falcon feeds on the seabirds and are the top predators in the food-chain. However, if their prey like small birds and fishes have high amount of DDT(chemical) in their body, falcons are likely to accumulate large amount of DDT in their body. This DDT is a poisonous chemical that  will lead to decrease in their breeding potential and the eggs produced are infertile. Therefore, the population of Peregrine falcons start to decreased. This is not good for the food chain in which these falcons are the top predators as decreasing in the number of falcons would increase in the number of their prey like seabirds, other small birds and fishes. Thus, complete food chain will get disturb that further disturb the ecological balance. Therefore, exotoxicology is sub-discipline of ecology because many organism at many levels in the food chain are disturbed.