8.8 Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification

Describe bioaccumulation and biomagnification.

• Bioaccumulation is the selective absorption and concentration of elements or compounds by cells in a living organism, most commonly fat-soluble compounds.
• Biomagnification is the increase in concentration of substances per unit of body tissue that occurs in successively higher trophic levels of a food chain or in a food web.
• Enduring understanding STB-3: Human activities, including the use of resources, have physical, chemical, and biological consequences for ecosystems.

Describe the effects of bioaccumulation and biomagnification.

• Some effects that can occur in an ecosystem when a persistent substance is biomagnified in a food chain include eggshell thinning and developmental deformities in top carnivores of the higher trophic levels.
• Humans also experience harmful effects from biomagnification, including issues with the reproductive, nervous, and circulatory systems.
• DDT, mercury, and PCBs are substances that bioaccumulate and have significant environmental impacts.
• Enduring understanding STB-3: Human activities, including the use of resources, have physical, chemical, and biological consequences for ecosystems.