Biomagnification of DDT through the Benthic and Pelagic Food Webs of Lake Malawi, East Africa: Importance of Trophic Level and Carbon Source

Lake Malawi, an East African Rift Valley lake, is internationally renowned for having the highest diversity of fish species in the world, and these cichlids are highly specialized in their dietary habits. In this lake, tissue stable carbon (delta13C) and nitrogen (delta15N) isotopes can be used over several trophic levels to distinguish those consumers relying upon carbon fixed by either benthic or pelagic primary producers. As such, it was …