Question

When predators consume prey that contain a toxic material, such as mercury, they may end up with a high quantity of the material in their bodies that can affect their populations and public health if they are consumed. What is this process called?
Biomagnification
Concentration
Expansion
Mutation

Answer 1

A. Biomagnification 

It is biomagnification because biomagnification means the concentration of toxins in an organism as a result of its ingesting other plants or animals in which the toxins are more widely disbursed.

Answer 2

Answer: Biomagnification

Explanation:

Biomagnification is a process in which the concentration of a toxic substance increases in a food chain when one affected organism is consumed by the other. Generally these toxic substances remains undigested in the bodies of these organisms, which produce deadly symptoms. Usually the organism at the highest trophic level is affected as the concentration of the toxic substance is the highest which leads to the mortality of the members in large numbers.

According to the given situation, mercury being a metallic toxic material will remain undigested in the body of the prey which are consumed by the predators. This predator population if consumed by public can have a detrimental effect on health. This situation describes the process of biomagnification.