Final answer:
Biomagnification is the process whereby toxic substances increase along trophic levels of an ecosystem.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tendency of chemicals to become more concentrated as they move up the food chain is known as biomagnification. This process involves the increasing concentration of persistent, toxic substances in organisms at each trophic level, from primary producers to apex consumers.
For example, substances like the pesticide DDT can accumulate in the bodies of organisms lower in the food chain, and as predators higher up consume these organisms, the concentration of DDT increases. This can have detrimental effects on apex consumers, such as birds, whose populations can be impacted by the accumulated toxic substances.
Overall, biomagnification is an important environmental consequence of ecosystem dynamics and highlights the potential risks associated with the concentration of toxic substances in the food chain.