In the spring of 2010, there was a catastrophic explosion on an ocean oil drilling rig, causing millions of
gallons of oil to be released into the Gulf of Mexico. Many organisms died due to the thick sludge in their
habitat. However, in some organisms, such as shellfish, the oil stuck to tissues inside their shells. Which
statement expresses a major concern of environmentalists about the accumulation of the oil in certain
organisms in the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem?
(1) Larger organisms eat the shellfish and more chemicals will build up in their tissues.
(2) The shellfish will prevent other organisms from obtaining oil.
(3) Smaller organisms will be unaffected by the chemicals.
(4) Larger organisms will be less affected by the oil, because they can eat other organisms