Which level shows the maximum biological magnification? Why?

Biological magnification, also known as bio magnification refers to the increase in the concentration of toxic substances like DDT, chemicals, heavy substances etc. with each successive trophic level of the food chain. The concentration of these toxic substances is highest at the highest trophic level.

Let us take the example of a food chain:


Zooplankton -----> anchovy ------> tuna

Suppose the salt water in which the food chain is there contains mercury, so, there exists zooplankton containing small amount of mercury which they have acquired from water. When anchovy, a small forage fish, eats many zooplankton, the amount of mercury present in each zooplankton gets accumulated in one anchovy. Further, when tuna, a fin fish eats large number of anchovy, the amount of mercury present in each anchovy gets accumulated in single tuna. Thus, tuna which is at the highest level in the food chain contains the highest level of mercury.

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