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Biomagnification of Pesticides and their effects on Animals

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Author Affiliations

  • 1Department of Zoology, V.K.S.U., Arrah, Bihar, India
  • 2 L.N. College Bhagwanpur, Vaishali, Bihar, India

Res. J. Animal, Veterinary and Fishery Sci., Volume 14, Issue (1), Pages 13-15, May,24 (2026)

Abstract

Biomagnification is a critical ecological process where the concentration of a toxic substance, such as pesticides, increases at each successive trophic level within a food web. This abstract briefly examines the biomagnification of persistent organic pollutants POPs like DDT and organochlorines, and their detrimental effects on animal health. These fat-soluble pesticides are ingested by primary producers and consumers, accumulating in their tissues. As predators consume large quantities of prey, the toxins become concentrated to dangerous levels in top predators. The effects on animals are severe and multifaceted. High toxin concentrations can lead to direct mortality, but more commonly cause sublethal effects including reproductive failure e.g., eggshell thinning in birds, neurological and behavioral abnormalities, immune suppression, and increased susceptibility to disease. This process disrupts entire ecosystems by weakening top predator populations and reducing biodiversity. Understanding and mitigating pesticide biomagnification is therefore essential for wildlife conservation and maintaining ecological balance.

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