Question

What do you understand by biomagnification? What are the substances responsible for biomagnification?

Answer 1

Biomagnification:

1. Biomagnification is any concentration of a toxin, such as pesticides, in the tissues of tolerant species at increasingly higher levels in a food chain.
2. The buildup of the insecticide DDT in zooplankton is one instance of biomagnification in action.

Substances responsible for biomagnification:

1. Pesticides and chemicals like DDT and mercury that are dumped into lakes and rivers are consumed by aquatic species.
2. These build up in their body tissues and are passed on to other creatures that feed on them.
3. The mining operation releases a considerable amount of selenium and sulfide into the environment, destroying the oceans and coastal regions.
4. Heavy metals like mercury and arsenic as well as pesticides like polychlorinated biphenyls and DDT are examples of possible contaminants.