The term Biomagnification is referred to as

increase in the body weight

uncontrolled growth of harmful organisms

accumulation of increasing amount of non-degradable pollutant through food chain

increase in the number of bacteria in a culture medium

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This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2017

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Biomagnification is the process whereby the concentration of certain substances, such as heavy metals or persistent organic pollutants, increases in organisms at successively higher levels of a food chain. This happens because these substances are often non-degradable or slowly degradable and accumulate in the tissues of organisms. As one organism consumes multiple organisms from lower trophic levels, the pollutant concentration in its body increases. Option A is incorrect as it refers to body size, not pollutant concentration. Option B describes phenomena like algal blooms, often linked to eutrophication, not biomagnification. Option D describes microbial growth. Option C accurately defines biomagnification as the increasing accumulation of non-degradable pollutants through the food chain.

Biomagnification is the increase in concentration of pollutants in organisms at higher trophic levels due to their persistence and accumulation in tissues as they are transferred up the food chain.

Examples of substances that biomagnify include DDT, PCBs, and heavy metals like mercury and lead. These substances can have significant toxic effects on organisms at higher trophic levels, including humans who consume contaminated fish or meat. Bioaccumulation refers to the accumulation of a substance in an organism, while biomagnification refers to the increasing concentration across successive trophic levels.

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