biomagnification

American  

[bahy-oh-mag-nuh-fi-key-shuhn] / ˌbaɪ oʊˌmæg nə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. biological magnification.

---

biomagnification Scientific  

/ bī′ō-măg′nə-fĭ-kā′shən /

1. The increasing concentration of a substance, such as a toxic chemical, in the tissues of organisms at successively higher levels in a food chain. 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.

2. Compare bioaccumulation

---

Usage

What does biomagnification mean? Biomagnification, or biological magnification, is the increasing buildup of toxic substances within organisms that happens at each stage of the food chain.For example, when a lion eats a crocodile (yes, this happens), it ingests the toxins in the crocodile, which include the toxins from all the animals that the crocodile has ever eaten, which include the toxins from all the plants that those animals have ever eaten. At each stage of the food chain, the toxic buildup increases.The buildup of toxic substances within a single organism is called biological accumulation (or bioaccumulation). Biomagnification, then, is when the biological accumulation in each organism is compounded (added together, or magnified). Due to biomagnification, the amount of toxic substances (such as mercury or pesticides) is greater in the bodies of organisms (including humans) that consume other organisms.Biomagnification occurs because some toxic substances don’t get broken down or filtered out of the body. This means that every organism that eats another gets loaded up with a lot of accumulated bad stuff.

Etymology

Origin of biomagnification

First recorded in 1970–75; bio- + magnification

Compare meaning

How does biomagnification compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• bioaccumulation vs. biomagnification

Example Sentences

POPs include chlorinated hydrocarbons and flame retardants, and can accumulate in animals' fat stores as the contaminants move up the food chain though a process called biomagnification.

From Science Daily

"We see a much different pattern. Air-breathing organisms are more vulnerable to bioaccumulation and biomagnification" of the chemicals.

From Salon

Mercury spreads into the aquatic ecosystem via a process called biomagnification and concentrates rapidly as it passes up the food chain.

From The Guardian

Because of their position as apex predators, many marine mammals accumulate high concentrations of contaminants absorbed by the organisms they feed upon: a textbook case of the phenomenon known as biomagnification.

From Salon

As DDT climbed each rung of this ladder, the chemical accumulated exponentially, a process known as biomagnification.

From New York Times