What key mechanism describes how top-tier predatory fish accumulate high mercury concentrations?
Answer
Bioaccumulation and biomagnification
The high levels of mercury found in larger, older predatory fish are a direct result of two related ecological processes: bioaccumulation and biomagnification. Bioaccumulation is the process where an organism absorbs substances from its environment faster than it can excrete them. Biomagnification occurs up the food chain; as these predatory fish consume smaller organisms already contaminated with methylmercury, the concentration of the toxin increases exponentially in the predator's flesh. This process leads to these top-tier species carrying the highest mercury loads, making them the primary focus of consumption advisories.
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