biomagnify

American  

[bahy-oh-mag-nuh-fahy] / ˌbaɪ oʊˈmæg nəˌfaɪ /

verb (used without object)

biomagnified, biomagnifying

1. to undergo biological magnification.

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Usage

What does biomagnify mean? To biomagnify is to undergo biomagnification (or biological magnification)—the process by which substances build up within organisms at each stage of the food chain. This often involves the buildup of toxic substances.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—it biomagnifies.The buildup of toxic substances within a single organism is called biological accumulation (or bioaccumulation). When this happens, these substances are said to bioaccumulate. 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.Example: The dangers of allowing toxins to be released into the environment is that they tend to biomagnify, resulting in unwanted effects to organisms and food chains. 

Etymology

Origin of biomagnify

1970–75; back formation from biomagnification; -fy

Example Sentences

Mercury is one of the most toxic elements in marine systems and can bioaccumulate and biomagnify through marine food webs.

From Science Daily • Feb. 21, 2024

Unfortunately, the latter characteristic allows this chemical agent to biomagnify through the food chain.

From Textbooks • Sep. 6, 2018

Fat soluble compounds biomagnify up a food chain causing damage to top consumers. even when environmental concentrations of a toxin are low.

From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013