What is biological magnification? Will the levels of this magnification be different at different levels of the ecosystem?


Biological Magnification: The process of increase in the concentration of toxic entities or chemicals with an increase in trophic level in a food chain is known as biological magnification.


Chemical substances such as pesticides are sprayed over crop plants to protect them from pests and diseases. Pesticides are non - biodegradable, so they get accumulated at each trophic level. 


When herbivorous animals eat plants, these poisonous chemical pesticides go into their bodies. Man, being an omnivore, eats plant food as well as the meat of herbivores. Thus, the pesticides present in plant food and herbivores get transferred to man's body through food. Since humans occupy the top level in any food chain, the maximum amount of harmful chemical pesticides gets accumulated in our bodies, damaging our health gradually.


The following food chain explains how the biological magnification of harmful chemicals can occur.                                                       

Plants → Herbivore → Man

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Updated on: 06-Jan-2023

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