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biomagnify
[bahy-oh-mag-nuh-fahy]
verb (used without object)
biomagnified, biomagnifying
to undergo biological magnification.
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51Թ History and Origins
Origin of biomagnify1
1970–75; back formation from biomagnification; -fy
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Example Sentences
Examples have not been reviewed.
Mercury is one of the most toxic elements in marine systems and can bioaccumulate and biomagnify through marine food webs.
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It is hard for any organism to release the metal, causing it to accumulate, or biomagnify, as scientists say.
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When To Use
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.
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.
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