What does "biomagnification" refer to in environmental science?

Biomagnification refers to the phenomenon where the concentration of toxic substances, such as heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants, increases as you move up the food chain. This occurs because organisms at higher trophic levels consume multiple lower-level organisms, each containing these toxins. As a result, the accumulated toxins from their food sources lead to significantly higher concentrations in top predators compared to those found in the environment or in lower trophic levels.

Understanding biomagnification is crucial in environmental science because it highlights the risks posed by pollutants to wildlife and, ultimately, human health. It underscores the importance of monitoring and regulating the release of harmful substances into the environment, as well as the necessity for environmental health practices that protect ecosystems from such toxic impacts.

The other options do not accurately describe biomagnification, focusing instead on biodiversity, carbon cycling, and nutrient recycling—each representing distinct ecological processes unrelated to the accumulation of toxins through food webs.