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Question #45760
The Question
In a marine ecosystem characterized by an inverted pyramid of biomass, a lipophilic heavy metal pollutant enters the food web. This toxin specifically inhibits the Na+/K+-ATPase pumps in the chloride cells of teleost gills. Regarding the top consumer (a large pelagic teleost) in this ecosystem, which of the following statements is INCORRECT?
Options
- A.
It will accumulate the highest concentration of the toxin per unit weight due to biomagnification across successive trophic levels.
- B.
It will suffer from severe osmotic stress as it becomes unable to actively excrete excess Na+ and Cl- ions into the hypertonic surrounding.
- C.
It will attempt to compensate for the ion imbalance by increasing its glomerular filtration rate to produce large volumes of dilute urine.
- D.
It will continuously drink seawater to replace water lost via osmosis, which paradoxically exacerbates its internal salt load.
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Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Evolutionary_Exception
Tackle problems where standard rules evolve or change based on specific environmental constraints.
Concepts Behind This Question
Marine_Phytoplankton|Marine_Fish|Bioaccumulation
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: This question merges Ecology (Biomagnification/Inverted Pyramids) with Animal Physiology (Osmoregulation).
The primary trap exploits the confusion between freshwater and marine osmoregulatory adaptations.
Students often assume that 'excess salt' is always flushed out via copious urine (human/mammalian bias).
However, in marine teleosts, the gills are the primary site for salt excretion, while the kidneys conserve water by producing minimal urine.
Option C presents a freshwater physiological response, which is lethal in a marine context.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Excretory Products and Their Elimination - Class 11 |
| Concept | Osmoregulation in Aquatic Adaptations |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |