What is the difference between eutrophication and biomagnification?
Biological magnification is related to increase in concentration of toxicants whereas eutrophication is related to increase in concentration of nutrients.
Biological magnification refers to the increase in the concentration of a toxicant such as DDT, at successive trophic levels. When the toxic substance or pollutant cannot be excreted or metabolised by an organism, it is passed on to the next trophic level. In this way, the concentration of the pollutant keeps increasing at each successive trophic level through biological magnification
Eutrophication is the ageing process of a lake caused due to nutrient enrichment. The runoff of nutrients such as inorganic chemicals and sewage into lake, leads to an increase in the fertility of the lake. This leads to an increased growth of algae, resulting in algal blooms. Later, the decomposition of these algae depletes the supply of oxygen, leading to the death of other aquatic animal life.
Biological magnification refers to the increase in the concentration of a toxicant such as DDT, at successive trophic levels. When the toxic substance or pollutant cannot be excreted or metabolised by an organism, it is passed on to the next trophic level. In this way, the concentration of the pollutant keeps increasing at each successive trophic level through biological magnification
Eutrophication is the ageing process of a lake caused due to nutrient enrichment. The runoff of nutrients such as inorganic chemicals and sewage into lake, leads to an increase in the fertility of the lake. This leads to an increased growth of algae, resulting in algal blooms. Later, the decomposition of these algae depletes the supply of oxygen, leading to the death of other aquatic animal life.