Concept:Biomagnification refers to the progressive buildup of toxic substances, such as heavy metals or pesticides, in the tissues of organisms as they move up a food chain.
Explanation:Harmful chemicals enter the environment from sources like industrial waste or pesticide spraying.
Small organisms absorb these toxins from water or food.
When a predator eats many contaminated prey, the toxin concentration increases in the predator’s body.
This process repeats at each trophic level.
For example, DDT sprayed in a marsh enters water and is taken up by plankton (0.003 ppb).
Small fish eating plankton accumulate DDT to 0.5 ppm, large fish to 2 ppm, and birds eating fish reach up to 25 ppm.
Thus, the concentration of the toxic substance rises over time in the tissues of higher-level consumers.
The correct definition matches option A: “Increasing concentration of a toxic substance in the tissues over time.”
Answer:Option A
