Biomagnification

Every ecosystem includes food chains. In these chains, energy moves between producers and consumers across different levels, called trophic levels, through eating and being eaten. During this process, organisms use, store, and change food and other biological molecules through metabolism.

A key part of food chains is the breakdown of substances. This shows that most natural materials can degrade. However, what happens when something that cannot degrade enters the food chain? Continue reading to learn about biomagnification.

Also Check: Nutrition in Plants

What is Biomagnification?

Biomagnification occurs when the concentration of a harmful substance, like a pesticide, increases within the tissues of organisms at higher trophic levels of a food chain.

When chemicals that do not degrade enter the food chain, they are not easily broken down or expelled. These chemicals then move up through the trophic levels, increasing in concentration. This process, known as biomagnification or bioamplification, can disrupt or even damage the entire food chain.

Sources and Examples

Various environmental toxins can cause biomagnification. Here are some key sources:

Pesticides and Pollutants

Many pesticides, such as DDT, dieldrin, and aldrin, do not break down easily in the environment and accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals and humans. Their concentrations increase as they move up the food chain. Other pollutants, like radioactive materials and heavy metals, including lead and mercury, also contribute to biomagnification.

Mining Activities

Toxic substances released from mining, such as zinc and copper, can contaminate water bodies and farmlands, absorbing into aquatic life and crops and increasing their toxicity.

Also Check: Human Reproductive System

Air Pollution

Vehicle and industrial emissions contribute to air pollution and biomagnification. Pollutants from these sources can dissolve in rainwater, creating acid rain that deposits toxins into soils and waters, entering the food chain.

Example of DDT Biomagnification

DDT, once commonly used to control mosquitoes, illustrates biomagnification. It accumulates in aquatic life, with concentrations increasing at each trophic level, from water to fish-eating birds.

Effects of Biomagnification

High toxin levels can be fatal for top predators. DDT, for example, affects bird populations by causing eggshell thinning and breakage. In mammals, high DDT levels can cause liver damage, brain injuries, and cancer. It also harms coral reefs, affecting many small marine species.

Also Check: Asexual Reproduction

Controlling Biomagnification

Reducing biomagnification mainly involves cutting down on the use of agrochemicals. Opting for non-chemical farming methods, such as biofertilizers and biopesticides, is essential. Additionally, reducing the use of toxic substances like lead paints and heavy metals can decrease their accumulation in the environment.

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Frequently Asked Questions on Biomagnification

The term biomagnification refers to the accumulation and amplification of certain toxic substances in the bodies of organisms at successive trophic levels of a food chain.

Bioaccumulation denotes the gradual accumulation of substances such as pesticides and toxins in organisms. This occurs when a substance is absorbed by an organism at a faster rate that is often higher than the rate at which it is ejected.

Bioaccumulation is the first step in which a toxin enters the food chain and builds up in an organism. This often happens within a trophic level. Whereas biomagnification is a mechanism by which toxins are transferred from one trophic level to another.

The use of toxic insecticides, agricultural pesticides, fertilizers, and heavy metals can lead to biomagnification. Apart from that, industrial waste, mining activities, water pollution, and air pollution can also cause this phenomenon.

As a result of biomagnification, humans are more likely to develop heart disease, cancer, kidney, liver, and birth defects. It also disrupts the eggshell formation in avian creatures. Furthermore, they also lead to the destruction of coral reefs.