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A bird rehabilitation center is hoping to breed its ospreys. Knowing the dangers of biomagnification to the birds' eggs and young, what strategies might they take to minimize the danger? (choose all that apply.)

A. Feed the ospreys smaller fish
B. Feed the ospreys larger fish, but fewer of them
C. Feed the ospreys fish from a toxin-free ecosystem
D. Encourage the ospreys to drink large amounts of clean water
E. No strategy can help, since biomagnification is an inherent property of each species F. Feed the ospreys only carnivorous fish

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Final answer:

To minimize biomagnification risks for breeding ospreys, the rehabilitation center can feed them smaller fish, fish from clean ecosystems, and encourage them to drink clean water. Larger fish and carnivorous fish should be avoided as they are more likely to contain higher concentrations of toxins.

Step-by-step explanation:

To minimize the dangers of biomagnification to ospreys' eggs and young at a bird rehabilitation center, several strategies could be helpful:

  • A. Feed the ospreys smaller fish: Smaller fish are likely to have accumulated fewer toxins compared to larger fish higher up the food chain.
  • C. Feed the ospreys fish from a toxin-free ecosystem: Ensuring that the diet comes from a clean environment would reduce the risk of ingesting contaminants.
  • D. Encourage the ospreys to drink large amounts of clean water: While this will not reduce biomagnification directly, proper hydration can aid overall health and might help with the elimination of some contaminants.

Option B might not be effective because larger fish, even in smaller amounts, could still contain high levels of toxins. Option F is not suitable since carnivorous fish are more likely to have higher levels of toxins due to biomagnification within their own food chains. Finally, option E is incorrect because while biomagnification is a property of ecosystems, mitigation strategies can still reduce its impact.

Understanding the dynamics of ecosystem dynamics such as biomagnification can influence our approach to wildlife conservation and reveal how human activities impact these cycles.

User Alexa Adrian
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