What term describes the accumulation of toxins in an organism?

The term that describes the accumulation of toxins in an organism is bioaccumulation. This process occurs when an organism absorbs a toxic substance at a rate faster than it can be eliminated. Bioaccumulation typically happens in the tissues of the organism over time, leading to higher concentrations of the toxin as the organism is exposed to it through various sources, such as food, water, or the environment.

Understanding bioaccumulation is crucial in ecology and environmental science because it highlights how pollutants can build up within individual organisms. This effect can have significant consequences for the health of organisms and ecosystems, especially if these toxins are harmful or even lethal.

In contrast, biomagnification refers to the increasing concentration of toxins in organisms as one moves up the food chain, where predators accumulate higher levels of toxins from their prey. Trophic efficiency deals with energy transfer between trophic levels in an ecosystem, and biodegradation is the process by which organic substances are broken down by living organisms, typically microbes.