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Would a lion or a zebra be more affected by biomagnifacation and why

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Final answer:

Lions would be more affected by biomagnification than zebras because they are higher on the food chain and eat other animals that have accumulated toxins, leading to higher concentrations of these substances in their bodies.

Step-by-step explanation:

Lions would be more affected by biomagnification than zebras because as apex predators, they are at the top of the food chain and consume smaller carnivorous animals. These smaller animals, in turn, feed on organisms lower in the food chain, accumulating and concentrating toxins from their diet.

Biomagnification refers to the increase in concentration of a substance, such as pesticides or heavy metals, in the tissues of organisms at successively higher levels in a food chain. Since lions occupy a higher trophic level than zebras, they are more susceptible to higher concentrations of these substances. Zebras, being primarily herbivores, are less affected by biomagnification because the plants they consume are not as contaminated with bioaccumulated toxins as the meat consumed by carnivores like lions.

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