Biodiversity offers vast economic benefits, and the systematic search for these benefits is a specialized field of study.
• Bioprospecting: This is the process of exploring biological resources (at molecular, genetic, or species levels) to find genes or compounds that can be developed into commercially valuable products, such as medicines or industrial chemicals.
• Biomagnification: The increase in the concentration of toxic substances at successive trophic levels.
• Bioremediation: The use of microorganisms to clean up contaminated environments.
• Biofortification: Breeding crops with higher levels of vitamins, minerals, or proteins to improve public health.