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

Progressive increase in the concentration of non-biodegradable substances in a food chain is called biological magnification.

The level of these harmful substances will go on increasing from one trophic level to the next. When certain harmful substances enter the food chain at the level of primary producers,-they get concentrated many times at each subsequent trophic level.

Some harmful chemicals enter our bodies through the food chain, one of the reasons is the use of several pesticides and other chemicals to protect our crops from disease and pests. These chemicals are either washed down into the soil or into the water bodies. From the soil, these are absorbed by the plants along with water and minerals and from the water bodies these are taken up by aquatic plants and animals.

This is one of the ways in which they enter the food chain. This phenomenon is known as biological magnification. This level of magnification be different at different levels of the ecosystem.

Eg: Spraying of DDT will remain for a long time in the environment.

Biomagnification or biological magnification is defined as the rise or increase in the contaminated substances caused by the intoxicating environment. The contaminants might be heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic and pesticides such as polychlorinated biphenyls and DDT.

These substances are taken up by the organisms through the food they consume. When the organisms in the higher food chain feed on the organisms in the lower food chain containing these toxins, these toxins get accumulated in the higher organisms. The levels of biological magnification is different at different levels of the ecosystem. It increases with each successive trophic level.