What Is Biological Magnification?

Biological magnification is the increasing concentration of a substance in the tissues of organisms at successively higher levels in a food chain. It is also bioamplification or bioaccumulation. Biological magnification occurs when organisms cannot excrete the substance before it can be passed on to the upper part of the food chain. At first, tiny amounts of the substance are totally harmless but as it travels up the food chain, the amounts consumed from food sources add up and become harmful. The process of biological magnification can be harmful to the organisms high in the food chain because they absorb harmful substances from all of the organisms they consume. Human beings, being high on the food chain, are particularly at risk from biological magnification. Not all substances are capable of being biologically magnified. For biological magnification to occur, the substance must be able to be absorbed at some point in the food chain for it to be magnified. It must not also be broken down easily by the environment, as this would remove it. Moreover, it must be difficult for organisms to break down because digestion would also prevent it from being absorbed by organisms higher in the food chain. One of the most famous cases involved the bald eagle and the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). The DDT used in farming eventually found its way into the bodies of bald eagles, where it cause them to lay thin, fragile, eggs. These fragile egg shells were damaged or crushed by the eagles, resulting in fewer eagles being born. Two types of substances that are commonly involved in biological magnification are persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals. Persistent organic pollutants are usually manmade chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides. Organisms dont have the necessary enzymes to break such pollutants resulting in their build up. On the other hand, heavy metals are naturally occurring but are discharged into the open environment by human activities, especially mining. They build up because most organisms get rid of them slowly. Pesticides, heavy metals and other accumulants have been linked to neurological problems, cancer, reproductive problems and depressed immune systems. The biggest risk for people is mercury accumulation from fish. Pesticides on fruits and vegetables also pose another risk of biological magnification. Pollution from mining, manufacturing, farming runoff, dumping and other sources of contamination are a major factor in the occurrence of biological magnification. The polluted

substances are washed into streams and rivers, which in turn wash into oceans. Consequently, ocean currents and evaporation carry it to every corner of the earth. For instance, researchers have found out that polar bears now have elevated levels of mercury in their bodies. However, reducing the amount of a contaminant in an environment can reduce the damage caused by biological magnification. In the end, even though human beings cause biological magnification, they also have the power to control it.

Example Cause Effect Ways As a result of biomagnification, organisms at the top of the food chain generally suffer greater harm from a persistent toxin or pollutant than those at lower levels.Because people eat so high on the food chain, we are particularly at risk from biomagnification