AQA Ecology Knowledge Organiser Recombinant DNA technology involves the transfer of genes from one species to another. It can be used to make another organism, usually bacteria, produce a protein. The bacteria are grown in fermenters and can produce huge amounts of the protein. Human insulin is now produced using recombinant DNA technology, as described below. Food Security Food security means a whole population have access to enough nutritious food to sustain a healthy lifestyle. This is achieved using methods which the planet can continue to sustain for further generations of the population. However, there are several biological factors which can threaten food security. These factors include: • increasing birth rate • changing diets • new pests and pathogens • widespread famine • drought • increasing costs • war and conflicts Trophic Levels Trophic levels describe the position of an organism within the food chain. They can be represented by numbers. The higher the number, the further along the food chain. Trophic levels only represent the living organisms (so the sun isn’t included). Scavengers and decomposers are not represented in the trophic levels either.