The term "Bio-magnification" refers to the

Options

A. growth of organisms due to food consumption.
B. increase in population size.
C. blowing up of environmental issues by man.
D. increase in the concentration of non-degradable pollutants as they pass through food chain.

Answer

**Step-by-Step Text Solution:**

1. **Understanding Bio-magnification**: Bio-magnification is a term used to describe the process by which the concentration of non-degradable pollutants increases in organisms at each successive trophic level in a food chain.

2. **Definition of Trophic Levels**: Trophic levels refer to the different levels in a food chain, which include producers (plants), primary consumers (herbivores), secondary consumers (carnivores), and tertiary consumers (top predators).

3. **Mechanism of Bio-magnification**: As organisms at lower trophic levels consume food, they accumulate pollutants that are non-biodegradable. When these organisms are eaten by those at higher trophic levels, the pollutants are transferred and concentrated further.

4. **Example of Bio-magnification**: A well-known example is the accumulation of mercury in fish from Minamata Bay in Japan. The mercury concentration increases as it moves up the food chain, leading to severe health effects in top predators, including humans.

5. **Specific Pollutants**: Non-degradable pollutants such as DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) can accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals. When these animals are consumed, the concentration of DDT increases in the predator.

6. **Conclusion**: Therefore, bio-magnification specifically refers to the increase in the concentration of non-degradable pollutants as they pass through the food chain, particularly affecting organisms at higher trophic levels.

**Final Answer**: The term "Bio-magnification" refers to the increase in the concentration of non-degradable pollutants as they pass through the food chain.

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