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Gillies EJ, Li ML, Christensen V, Hoover C, Sora KJ, Loseto LL, Cheung WWL, Angot H, Giang A. Exploring Drivers of Historic Mercury Trends in Beluga Whales Using an Ecosystem Modeling Approach. ACS ENVIRONMENTAL AU 2024; 4:219-235. [PMID: 39309976 PMCID: PMC11413906 DOI: 10.1021/acsenvironau.3c00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
While mercury occurs naturally in the environment, human activity has significantly disturbed its biogeochemical cycle. Inorganic mercury entering aquatic systems can be transformed into methylmercury, a strong neurotoxicant that builds up in organisms and affects ecosystem and public health. In the Arctic, top predators such as beluga whales, an ecologically and culturally significant species for many Inuit communities, can contain high concentrations of methylmercury. Historical mercury concentrations in beluga in the western Canadian Arctic's Beaufort Sea cannot be explained by mercury emission trends alone; in addition, they could potentially be driven by climate change impacts, such as rising temperatures and sea ice melt. These changes can affect mercury bioaccumulation through different pathways, including ecological and mercury transport processes. In this study, we explore key drivers of mercury bioaccumulation in the Beaufort Sea beluga population using Ecopath with Ecosim, an ecosystem modeling approach, and scenarios of environmental change informed by Western Science and Inuvialuit Knowledge. Comparing the effect of historical sea ice cover, sea surface temperature, and freshwater discharge time series, modeling suggests that the timing of historical increases and decreases in beluga methylmercury concentrations can be better explained by the resulting changes to ecosystem productivity rather than by those to mercury inputs and that all three environmental drivers could partially explain the decrease in mercury concentrations in beluga after the mid-1990s. This work highlights the value of multiple knowledge systems and exploratory modeling methods in understanding environmental change and contaminant cycling. Future work building on this research could inform climate change adaptation efforts and inform management decisions in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma J. Gillies
- Institute
for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Mi-Ling Li
- School
of Marine Science and Policy, University
of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Villy Christensen
- Institute
for the Oceans and Fisheries, University
of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Carie Hoover
- Marine
Affairs Program, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
- Freshwater
Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3T
2N6, Canada
| | - Kristen J. Sora
- Institute
for the Oceans and Fisheries, University
of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Lisa L. Loseto
- Freshwater
Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3T
2N6, Canada
- Centre
for Earth Observation Science, Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T
2N2, Canada
| | - William W. L. Cheung
- Institute
for the Oceans and Fisheries, University
of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Hélène Angot
- Univ. Grenoble
Alpes, CNRS, INRAE, IRD, Grenoble INP, IGE, Grenoble 38400, France
| | - Amanda Giang
- Institute
for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
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2
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Evers DC, Ackerman JT, Åkerblom S, Bally D, Basu N, Bishop K, Bodin N, Braaten HFV, Burton MEH, Bustamante P, Chen C, Chételat J, Christian L, Dietz R, Drevnick P, Eagles-Smith C, Fernandez LE, Hammerschlag N, Harmelin-Vivien M, Harte A, Krümmel EM, Brito JL, Medina G, Barrios Rodriguez CA, Stenhouse I, Sunderland E, Takeuchi A, Tear T, Vega C, Wilson S, Wu P. Global mercury concentrations in biota: their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 33:325-396. [PMID: 38683471 PMCID: PMC11213816 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02747-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
An important provision of the Minamata Convention on Mercury is to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the adopted measures and its implementation. Here, we describe for the first time currently available biotic mercury (Hg) data on a global scale to improve the understanding of global efforts to reduce the impact of Hg pollution on people and the environment. Data from the peer-reviewed literature were compiled in the Global Biotic Mercury Synthesis (GBMS) database (>550,000 data points). These data provide a foundation for establishing a biomonitoring framework needed to track Hg concentrations in biota globally. We describe Hg exposure in the taxa identified by the Minamata Convention: fish, sea turtles, birds, and marine mammals. Based on the GBMS database, Hg concentrations are presented at relevant geographic scales for continents and oceanic basins. We identify some effective regional templates for monitoring methylmercury (MeHg) availability in the environment, but overall illustrate that there is a general lack of regional biomonitoring initiatives around the world, especially in Africa, Australia, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Temporal trend data for Hg in biota are generally limited. Ecologically sensitive sites (where biota have above average MeHg tissue concentrations) have been identified throughout the world. Efforts to model and quantify ecosystem sensitivity locally, regionally, and globally could help establish effective and efficient biomonitoring programs. We present a framework for a global Hg biomonitoring network that includes a three-step continental and oceanic approach to integrate existing biomonitoring efforts and prioritize filling regional data gaps linked with key Hg sources. We describe a standardized approach that builds on an evidence-based evaluation to assess the Minamata Convention's progress to reduce the impact of global Hg pollution on people and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA.
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | | | - Dominique Bally
- African Center for Environmental Health, BP 826 Cidex 03, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Nil Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Kevin Bishop
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Upsalla, Sweden
| | - Nathalie Bodin
- Research Institute for Sustainable Development Seychelles Fishing Authority, Victoria, Seychelles
| | | | - Mark E H Burton
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Celia Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Cliamte Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Linroy Christian
- Department of Analytical Services, Dunbars, Friars Hill, St John, Antigua and Barbuda
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Paul Drevnick
- Teck American Incorporated, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Collin Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Luis E Fernandez
- Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability and Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 29106, USA
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazonica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, Peru
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Shark Research Foundation Inc, 29 Wideview Lane, Boutiliers Point, NS, B3Z 0M9, Canada
| | - Mireille Harmelin-Vivien
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS/INSU/IRD, Institut Méditerranéen d'Océanologie (MIO), UM 110, Campus de Luminy, case 901, 13288, Marseille, cedex 09, France
| | - Agustin Harte
- Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Chem. des Anémones 15, 1219, Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eva M Krümmel
- Inuit Circumpolar Council-Canada, Ottawa, Canada and ScienTissiME Inc, Barry's Bay, ON, Canada
| | - José Lailson Brito
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Sao Francisco Xavier, 524, Sala 4002, CEP 20550-013, Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Medina
- Director of Basel Convention Coordinating Centre, Stockholm Convention Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean, Hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Iain Stenhouse
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Elsie Sunderland
- Harvard University, Pierce Hall 127, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Akinori Takeuchi
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, Health and Environmental Risk Division, 16-2 Onogawa Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Tim Tear
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Claudia Vega
- Centro de Innovaccion Cientifica Amazonica (CINCIA), Jiron Ucayali 750, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17001, Peru
| | - Simon Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, N-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Pianpian Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
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3
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Jung S, Besnard L, Li ML, R Reinfelder J, Kim E, Kwon SY, Kim JH. Interspecific Variations in the Internal Mercury Isotope Dynamics of Antarctic Penguins: Implications for Biomonitoring. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:6349-6358. [PMID: 38531013 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c09452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) biomonitoring requires a precise understanding of the internal processes contributing to disparities between the Hg sources in the environment and the Hg measured in the biota. In this study, we investigated the use of Hg stable isotopes to trace Hg accumulation in Adélie and emperor penguin chicks from four breeding colonies in Antarctica. Interspecific variation of Δ199Hg in penguin chicks reflects the distinct foraging habitats and Hg exposures in adults. Chicks at breeding sites where adult penguins predominantly consumed mesopelagic prey showed relatively lower Δ199Hg values than chicks that were primarily fed epipelagic krill. Substantial δ202Hg variations in chick tissues were observed in both species (Adélie: -0.11 to 1.13‰, emperor: -0.27 to 1.15‰), whereas only emperor penguins exhibited the lowest δ202Hg in the liver and the highest in the feathers. Our results indicate that tissue-specific δ202Hg variations and their positive correlations with % MeHg resulted from MeHg demethylation in the liver and kidneys of emperor penguin chicks, whereas Adélie penguin chicks showed different internal responses depending on their exposure to dietary MeHg. This study highlights the importance of considering intra- and interspecific variations in adult foraging ecology and MeHg demethylation when selecting penguin chicks for Hg biomonitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saebom Jung
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, South Korea
| | - Lucien Besnard
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, South Korea
| | - Mi-Ling Li
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - John R Reinfelder
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States
| | - Eunhee Kim
- Citizens' Institute for Environmental Studies (CIES), Seoul 03039, South Korea
| | - Sae Yun Kwon
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, South Korea
- Institute for Convergence Research and Education in Advanced Technology, Yonsei University, 85 Songdogwahak-ro, Incheon 21983, South Korea
| | - Jeong-Hoon Kim
- Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI), 26 Songdomirae-ro, Incheon 21990, South Korea
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4
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Boyi JO, Sonne C, Dietz R, Rigét F, Siebert U, Lehnert K. Gene expression and trace elements in Greenlandic ringed seals (Pusa hispida). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 244:117839. [PMID: 38081340 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Marine top predators such as ringed seals biomagnify environmental contaminants; and with the increasing human activities in the Arctic, ringed seals are exposed to biologically significant concentrations of trace elements resulting in reproductive impairment, immunosuppression, and neurological damages. Little is known about the molecular effects of heavy metals on these vulnerable apex predators suffering from a rapidly changing Arctic with significant loss of sea-ice. In the present study, concentrations of cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) were measured in liver of sixteen Greenlandic ringed seals (nine adults and seven subadults) together with molecular biomarkers involved in bio-transformation, oxidative stress, endocrine disruption and immune activity in blood and blubber. The concentrations of trace elements increased in the following order: Hg > Se > Cd with levels of mercury and selenium being highest in adults. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARα, estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1), thyroid hormone receptor alpha (TRα) and interleukin - 2 (IL-2) mRNA transcript levels were highest in blubber, while heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and interleukin - 10 (IL-10) were significantly higher in blood. There were no significant correlations between the concentrations of trace elements and mRNA transcript levels suggesting that stressors other than the trace elements investigated are responsible for the changes in gene expression levels. Since Hg seems to increase in Greenlandic ringed seals, there is a need to re-enforce health monitoring of this ringed seal population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joy Ometere Boyi
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany.
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Frank Rigét
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Ursula Siebert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany.
| | - Kristina Lehnert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany.
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5
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Peraza I, Chételat J, Richardson M, Jung TS, Awan M, Baryluk S, Dastoor A, Harrower W, Kukka PM, McClelland C, Mowat G, Pelletier N, Rodford C, Ryjkov A. Diet and landscape characteristics drive spatial patterns of mercury accumulation in a high-latitude terrestrial carnivore. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285826. [PMID: 37186585 PMCID: PMC10184919 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Limited information exists on mercury concentrations and environmental drivers of mercury bioaccumulation in high latitude terrestrial carnivores. Spatial patterns of mercury concentrations in wolverine (Gulo gulo, n = 419) were assessed across a 1,600,000 km2 study area in relation to landscape, climate, diet and biological factors in Arctic and boreal biomes of western Canada. Hydrogen stable isotope ratios were measured in wolverine hair from a subset of 80 animals to assess the spatial scale for characterizing environmental conditions of their habitat. Habitat characteristics were determined using GIS methods and raster datasets at two scales, the collection location point and a 150 km radius buffer, which was selected based on results of a correlation analysis between hydrogen stable isotopes in precipitation and wolverine hair. Total mercury concentrations in wolverine muscle ranged >2 orders of magnitude from 0.01 to 5.72 μg/g dry weight and varied geographically, with the highest concentrations in the Northwest Territories followed by Nunavut and Yukon. Regression models at both spatial scales indicated diet (based on nitrogen stable isotope ratios) was the strongest explanatory variable of mercury concentrations in wolverine, with smaller though statistically significant contributions from landscape variables (soil organic carbon, percent cover of wet area, percent cover of perennial snow-ice) and distance to the Arctic Ocean coast. The carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of wolverine muscle suggested greater mercury bioaccumulation could be associated with feeding on marine biota in coastal habitats. Landscape variables identified in the modelling may reflect habitat conditions which support enhanced methylmercury transfer to terrestrial biota. Spatially-explicit estimates of wet atmospheric deposition were positively correlated with wolverine mercury concentrations but this variable was not selected in the final regression models. These landscape patterns provide a basis for further research on underlying processes enhancing methylmercury uptake in high latitude terrestrial food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Peraza
- Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Murray Richardson
- Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas S Jung
- Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Malik Awan
- Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada
| | - Steve Baryluk
- Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
| | - Ashu Dastoor
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Air Quality Research Division, Dorval, Quebec, Canada
| | - William Harrower
- Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Piia M Kukka
- Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
| | - Christine McClelland
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Garth Mowat
- Ministry of Forests, British Columbia Government, Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nicolas Pelletier
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christine Rodford
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrei Ryjkov
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Air Quality Research Division, Dorval, Quebec, Canada
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6
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Facciola N, Houde M, Muir DCG, Ferguson SH, McKinney MA. Feeding and contaminant patterns of sub-arctic and arctic ringed seals: Potential insight into climate change-contaminant interactions. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 313:120108. [PMID: 36084741 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
To provide insight into how climate-driven diet shifts may impact contaminant exposures of Arctic species, we compared feeding ecology and contaminant concentrations in ringed seals (Pusa hispida) from two Canadian sub-Arctic (Nain at 56.5°N, Arviat at 61.1°N) and two Arctic sites (Sachs Harbour at 72.0 °N, Resolute Bay at 74.7 °N). In the sub-Arctic, empirical evidence of changing prey fish communities has been documented, while less community change has been reported in the Arctic to date, suggesting current sub-Arctic conditions may be a harbinger of future Arctic conditions. Here, Indigenous partners collected tissues from subsistence-harvested ringed seals in 2018. Blubber fatty acids (FAs) and muscle stable isotopes (δ15N, δ13C) indicated dietary patterns, while measured contaminants included heavy metals (e.g., total mercury (THg)), legacy persistent organic pollutants (e.g., dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs)), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). FA signatures are distinct between sub-Arctic and Resolute Bay seals, likely related to higher consumption of southern prey species including capelin (Mallotus villosus) in the sub-Arctic but on-going feeding on Arctic species in Resolute Bay. Sachs Harbour ringed seals show FA overlap with all locations, possibly consuming both southern and endemic Arctic species. Negative δ13C estimates for PFAS models suggest that more pelagic, sub-Arctic type prey (e.g., capelin) increases PFAS concentrations, whereas the reverse occurs for, e.g., THg, ΣPBDE, and ΣDDT. Inconsistent directionality of δ15N estimates in the models likely reflects baseline isotopic variation not trophic position differences. Adjusting for the influence of diet suggests that if Arctic ringed seal diets become more like sub-Arctic seals due to climate change, diet-driven increases may occur for newer contaminants like PFASs, but not for more legacy contaminants. Nonetheless, temporal trends studies are still needed, as are investigations into the potential confounding influence of baseline isotope variation in spatial studies of contaminants in Arctic biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Facciola
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Magali Houde
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montreal, QC H2Y 2E5, Canada
| | - Derek C G Muir
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Steven H Ferguson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Central and Arctic Region, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Melissa A McKinney
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada.
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7
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Dietz R, Wilson S, Loseto LL, Dommergue A, Xie Z, Sonne C, Chételat J. Special issue on the AMAP 2021 assessment of mercury in the Arctic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 843:157020. [PMID: 35764153 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This Editorial presents an overview of the Special Issue on advances in Arctic mercury (Hg) science synthesized from the 2021 assessment of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP). Mercury continues to travel to Arctic environments and threaten wildlife and human health in this circumpolar region. Over the last decade, progress has been achieved in addressing policy-relevant uncertainties in environmental Hg contamination. This includes temporal trends of Hg, its transport to and within the Arctic, methylmercury cycling, climate change influences, biological effects of Hg on fish and wildlife, human exposure to Hg, and forecasting of Arctic responses to different future scenarios of anthropogenic Hg emissions. In addition, important contributions of Indigenous Peoples to Arctic research and monitoring of Hg are highlighted, including through projects of knowledge co-production. Finally, policy-relevant recommendations are summarized for future study of Arctic mercury. This series of scientific articles presents comprehensive information relevant to supporting effectiveness evaluation of the United Nations Minamata Convention on Mercury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rune Dietz
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Simon Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Lisa L Loseto
- Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N6, Canada; Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Aurélien Dommergue
- Institut des Géosciences de l'Environnement, Univ Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, Grenoble INP, France
| | - Zhouqing Xie
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Global Change, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Christian Sonne
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
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8
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Houde M, Krümmel EM, Mustonen T, Brammer J, Brown TM, Chételat J, Dahl PE, Dietz R, Evans M, Gamberg M, Gauthier MJ, Gérin-Lajoie J, Hauptmann AL, Heath JP, Henri DA, Kirk J, Laird B, Lemire M, Lennert AE, Letcher RJ, Lord S, Loseto L, MacMillan GA, Mikaelsson S, Mutter EA, O'Hara T, Ostertag S, Robards M, Shadrin V, Smith M, Stimmelmayr R, Sudlovenick E, Swanson H, Thomas PJ, Walker VK, Whiting A. Contributions and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples to the study of mercury in the Arctic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 841:156566. [PMID: 35697218 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Arctic Indigenous Peoples are among the most exposed humans when it comes to foodborne mercury (Hg). In response, Hg monitoring and research have been on-going in the circumpolar Arctic since about 1991; this work has been mainly possible through the involvement of Arctic Indigenous Peoples. The present overview was initially conducted in the context of a broader assessment of Hg research organized by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme. This article provides examples of Indigenous Peoples' contributions to Hg monitoring and research in the Arctic, and discusses approaches that could be used, and improved upon, when carrying out future activities. Over 40 mercury projects conducted with/by Indigenous Peoples are identified for different circumpolar regions including the U.S., Canada, Greenland, Sweden, Finland, and Russia as well as instances where Indigenous Knowledge contributed to the understanding of Hg contamination in the Arctic. Perspectives and visions of future Hg research as well as recommendations are presented. The establishment of collaborative processes and partnership/co-production approaches with scientists and Indigenous Peoples, using good communication practices and transparency in research activities, are key to the success of research and monitoring activities in the Arctic. Sustainable funding for community-driven monitoring and research programs in Arctic countries would be beneficial and assist in developing more research/monitoring capacity and would promote a more holistic approach to understanding Hg in the Arctic. These activities should be well connected to circumpolar/international initiatives to ensure broader availability of the information and uptake in policy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Houde
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Eva M Krümmel
- Inuit Circumpolar Council - Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tero Mustonen
- Snowchange Cooperative, Selkie, North Karelia, Finland
| | - Jeremy Brammer
- Vuntut Gwitchin Government, Old Crow, YT, Canada; Environment and Climate Chance Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tanya M Brown
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, West Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Chance Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Rune Dietz
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Marlene Evans
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | - Joel P Heath
- The Arctic Eider Society, Sanikiluaq, NU, Canada
| | | | - Jane Kirk
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, ON, Canada
| | - Brian Laird
- University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Sarah Lord
- Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board, Inuvik, NWT, Canada
| | - Lisa Loseto
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | | | | | - Edda A Mutter
- Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - Todd O'Hara
- Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | | | - Martin Robards
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | | | - Merran Smith
- Council of Yukon First Nations, Whitehorse, YT, Canada
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9
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Morris AD, Wilson SJ, Fryer RJ, Thomas PJ, Hudelson K, Andreasen B, Blévin P, Bustamante P, Chastel O, Christensen G, Dietz R, Evans M, Evenset A, Ferguson SH, Fort J, Gamberg M, Grémillet D, Houde M, Letcher RJ, Loseto L, Muir D, Pinzone M, Poste A, Routti H, Sonne C, Stern G, Rigét FF. Temporal trends of mercury in Arctic biota: 10 more years of progress in Arctic monitoring. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 839:155803. [PMID: 35561904 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Temporal trend analysis of (total) mercury (THg) concentrations in Arctic biota were assessed as part of the 2021 Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Mercury Assessment. A mixed model including an evaluation of non-linear trends was applied to 110 time series of THg concentrations from Arctic and Subarctic biota. Temporal trends were calculated for full time series (6-46 years) and evaluated with a particular focus on recent trends over the last 20 years. Three policy-relevant questions were addressed: (1) What time series for THg concentrations in Arctic biota are currently available? (2) Are THg concentrations changing over time in biota from the Arctic? (3) Are there spatial patterns in THg trends in biota from the Arctic? Few geographical patterns of recent trends in THg concentrations were observed; however, those in marine mammals tended to be increasing at more easterly longitudes, and those of seabirds tended to be increasing in the Northeast Atlantic; these should be interpreted with caution as geographic coverage remains variable. Trends of THg in freshwater fish were equally increasing and decreasing or non-significant while those in marine fish and mussels were non-significant or increasing. The statistical power to detect trends was greatly improved compared to the 2011 AMAP Mercury Assessment; 70% of the time series could detect a 5% annual change at the 5% significance level with power ≥ 80%, while in 2011 only 19% met these criteria. Extending existing time series, and availability of new, powerful time series contributed to these improvements, highlighting the need for annual monitoring, particularly given the spatial and temporal information needed to support initiatives such as the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Collecting the same species/tissues across different locations is recommended. Extended time series from Alaska and new data from Russia are also needed to better establish circumarctic patterns of temporal trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam D Morris
- Northern Contaminants Program, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, 15 Eddy Street, 14th floor, Gatineau, QC K1A 0H4, Canada.
| | - Simon J Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, The Fram Centre, Box 6606 Stakkevollan, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Rob J Fryer
- Marine Scotland, Marine Laboratory, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen AB11 9DB, UK
| | - Philippe J Thomas
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en bois, France
| | | | - Rune Dietz
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Marlene Evans
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5, Canada
| | | | - Steven H Ferguson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | | | - David Grémillet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en bois, France; Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Magali Houde
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Montreal, QC H2Y 2E7, Canada
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Lisa Loseto
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Derek Muir
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | | | - Amanda Poste
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Heli Routti
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø NO-9296, Norway
| | - Christian Sonne
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Gary Stern
- Centre for Earth Observation Sciences (CEOS), University of Manitoba, 125 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Frank F Rigét
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
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10
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Treu G, Sinding MHS, Czirják GÁ, Dietz R, Gräff T, Krone O, Marquard-Petersen U, Mikkelsen JB, Schulz R, Sonne C, Søndergaard J, Sun J, Zubrod J, Eulaers I. An assessment of mercury and its dietary drivers in fur of Arctic wolves from Greenland and High Arctic Canada. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:156171. [PMID: 35613645 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mercury has become a ubiquitous hazardous element even ending up in pristine areas such as the Arctic, where it biomagnifies and leaves especially top predators vulnerable to potential health effects. Here we investigate total mercury (THg) concentrations and dietary proxies for trophic position and habitat foraging (δ15N and δ13C, respectively) in fur of 30 Arctic wolves collected during 1869-1998 in the Canadian High Arctic and Greenland. Fur THg concentrations (mean ± SD) of 1.46 ± 1.39 μg g -1 dry weight are within the range of earlier reported values for other Arctic terrestrial species. Based on putative thresholds for Hg-mediated toxic health effects, the studied Arctic wolves have most likely not been at compromised health. Dietary proxies show high dietary plasticity among Arctic wolves deriving nutrition from both marine and terrestrial food sources at various trophic positions. Variability in THg concentrations seem to be related to the wolves' trophic position rather than to different carbon sources or regional differences (East Greenland, the Foxe Basin and Baffin Bay area, respectively). Although the present study remains limited due to the scarce, yet unique historic study material and small sample size, it provides novel information on temporal and spatial variation in Hg pollution of remote Arctic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Treu
- German Environment Agency, Department Chemicals, DE-06844 Dessau-Roßlau, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Wildlife Diseases, DE-10315 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Mikkel-Holger S Sinding
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Kivioq 2, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Gábor Á Czirják
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Wildlife Diseases, DE-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Thomas Gräff
- German Environment Agency, Department Systems on Chemical Safety, DE-6844 Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | - Oliver Krone
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Wildlife Diseases, DE-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Ralf Schulz
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, DE-76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jens Søndergaard
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jiachen Sun
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, CN-266003 Qingdao, China
| | - Jochen Zubrod
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, DE-76829 Landau, Germany; Zubrod Environmental Data Science, Friesenstrasse 20, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Fram Centre, Norwegian Polar Institute, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
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11
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Simond AÉ, Noël M, Loseto L, Houde M, Kirk J, Elliott A, Brown TM. A Multi-Matrix Metabolomic Approach in Ringed Seals and Beluga Whales to Evaluate Contaminant and Climate-Related Stressors. Metabolites 2022; 12:813. [PMID: 36144217 PMCID: PMC9502077 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12090813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
As a high trophic-level species, ringed seals (Pusa hispida) and beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) are particularly vulnerable to elevated concentrations of biomagnifying contaminants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and mercury (Hg). These species also face climate-change-related impacts which are leading to alterations in their diet and associated contaminant exposure. The metabolomic profile of marine mammal tissues and how it changes to environmental stressors is poorly understood. This study characterizes the profiles of 235 metabolites across plasma, liver, and inner and outer blubber in adult ringed seals and beluga whales and assesses how these profiles change as a consequence of contaminants and dietary changes. In both species, inner and outer blubber were characterized by a greater proportion of lipid classes, whereas the dominant metabolites in liver and plasma were amino acids, carbohydrates, biogenic amines and lysophosphatidylcholines. Several metabolite profiles in ringed seal plasma correlated with δ13C, while metabolite profiles in blubber were affected by hexabromobenzene in ringed seals and PBDEs and Hg in belugas. This study provides insight into inter-matrix similarities and differences across tissues and suggests that plasma and liver are more suitable for studying changes in diet, whereas liver and blubber are more suitable for studying the impacts of contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine É. Simond
- Pacific Science Enterprise Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 4160 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC V7V 1N6, Canada
- School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, 4160 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC V7V 1N6, Canada
| | - Marie Noël
- Ocean Wise, 101-440 Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 2N5, Canada
| | - Lisa Loseto
- Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Magali Houde
- Centre St-Laurent, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, QC H2Y 2E7, Canada
| | - Jane Kirk
- Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Ashley Elliott
- Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Tanya M. Brown
- Pacific Science Enterprise Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 4160 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC V7V 1N6, Canada
- School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, 4160 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC V7V 1N6, Canada
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12
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McKinney MA, Chételat J, Burke SM, Elliott KH, Fernie KJ, Houde M, Kahilainen KK, Letcher RJ, Morris AD, Muir DCG, Routti H, Yurkowski DJ. Climate change and mercury in the Arctic: Biotic interactions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 834:155221. [PMID: 35427623 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Global climate change has led to profound alterations of the Arctic environment and ecosystems, with potential secondary effects on mercury (Hg) within Arctic biota. This review presents the current scientific evidence for impacts of direct physical climate change and indirect ecosystem change on Hg exposure and accumulation in Arctic terrestrial, freshwater, and marine organisms. As the marine environment is elevated in Hg compared to the terrestrial environment, terrestrial herbivores that now exploit coastal/marine foods when terrestrial plants are iced over may be exposed to higher Hg concentrations. Conversely, certain populations of predators, including Arctic foxes and polar bears, have shown lower Hg concentrations related to reduced sea ice-based foraging and increased land-based foraging. How climate change influences Hg in Arctic freshwater fishes is not clear, but for lacustrine populations it may depend on lake-specific conditions, including interrelated alterations in lake ice duration, turbidity, food web length and energy sources (benthic to pelagic), and growth dilution. In several marine mammal and seabird species, tissue Hg concentrations have shown correlations with climate and weather variables, including climate oscillation indices and sea ice trends; these findings suggest that wind, precipitation, and cryosphere changes that alter Hg transport and deposition are impacting Hg concentrations in Arctic marine organisms. Ecological changes, including northward range shifts of sub-Arctic species and altered body condition, have also been shown to affect Hg levels in some populations of Arctic marine species. Given the limited number of populations and species studied to date, especially within Arctic terrestrial and freshwater systems, further research is needed on climate-driven processes influencing Hg concentrations in Arctic ecosystems and their net effects. Long-term pan-Arctic monitoring programs should consider ancillary datasets on climate, weather, organism ecology and physiology to improve interpretation of spatial variation and time trends of Hg in Arctic biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A McKinney
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3 V9, Canada.
| | - John Chételat
- Ecotoxicology & Wildlife Health, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Samantha M Burke
- Minnow Aquatic Environmental Services, Guelph, ON N1H 1E9, Canada
| | - Kyle H Elliott
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3 V9, Canada
| | - Kim J Fernie
- Ecotoxicology & Wildlife Health, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Magali Houde
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal, QC H2Y 5E7, Canada
| | - Kimmo K Kahilainen
- Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, FI-16900 Lammi, Finland
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Ecotoxicology & Wildlife Health, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Adam D Morris
- Northern Contaminants Program, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Gatineau, QC J8X 2V6, Canada
| | - Derek C G Muir
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Heli Routti
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - David J Yurkowski
- Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada
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13
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Toxic and essential trace element concentrations in Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) skeletal muscle varies by location and reproductive status. Polar Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-022-03069-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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14
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Li ML, Gillies EJ, Briner R, Hoover CA, Sora KJ, Loseto LL, Walters WJ, Cheung WWL, Giang A. Investigating the dynamics of methylmercury bioaccumulation in the Beaufort Sea shelf food web: a modeling perspective. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2022; 24:1010-1025. [PMID: 35748915 DOI: 10.1039/d2em00108j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
High levels of methylmercury (MeHg) have been reported in Arctic marine biota, posing health risks to wildlife and human beings. Although MeHg concentrations of some Arctic species have been monitored for decades, the key environmental and ecological factors driving temporal trends of MeHg are largely unclear. We develop an ecosystem-based MeHg bioaccumulation model for the Beaufort Sea shelf (BSS) using the Ecotracer module of Ecopath with Ecosim, and apply the model to explore how MeHg toxicokinetics and food web trophodynamics affect bioaccumulation in the BSS food web. We show that a food web model with complex trophodynamics and relatively simple MeHg model parametrization can capture the observed biomagnification pattern of the BSS. While both benthic and pelagic production are important for transferring MeHg to fish and marine mammals, simulations suggest that benthic organisms are primarily responsible for driving the high trophic magnification factor in the BSS. We illustrate ways of combining empirical observations and modelling experiments to generate hypotheses about factors affecting food web bioaccumulation, including the MeHg elimination rate, trophodynamics, and species migration behavior. The results indicate that population dynamics rather than MeHg elimination may determine population-wide concentrations for fish and lower trophic level organisms, and cause large differences in concentrations between species at similar trophic levels. This research presents a new tool and lays the groundwork for future research to assess the pathways of global environmental changes in MeHg bioaccumulation in Arctic ecosystems in the past and the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi-Ling Li
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA.
- Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Emma J Gillies
- Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Renea Briner
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA.
| | - Carie A Hoover
- Marine Affairs Program, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Kristen J Sora
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Lisa L Loseto
- Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, Department Environment and Geography, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - William J Walters
- Ken and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - William W L Cheung
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Amanda Giang
- Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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15
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Morris AD, Braune BM, Gamberg M, Stow J, O'Brien J, Letcher RJ. Temporal change and the influence of climate and weather factors on mercury concentrations in Hudson Bay polar bears, caribou, and seabird eggs. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 207:112169. [PMID: 34624268 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Temporal trends of mercury in Arctic wildlife are inconsistent within and between species and are often insignificant, which limits data interpretation. Recent multivariate analyses have shown that weather and climate factors (e.g. temperatures, sea ice conditions) are related to total Hg (THg) concentrations in wildlife tissues, though relatively few studies have explored these relationships. The present study compared time series of THg concentrations in liver of polar bear (Ursus maritimus, 2007/08-2015/16), eggs of thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia, 1993-2015) and kidney of caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus, 2006-2015) from the Hudson Bay region of Canada and statistically modelled THg over time with available climate and weather data. Significant temporal trends of THg concentrations were not detected in any species. However, in multivariate models that included time-lagged sea ice freeze up dates, THg concentrations increased 4.4% yr-1 in Qamanirjuaq caribou. Sea ice conditions were also related to THg levels in polar bear liver but not those in eggs of murres, though year was not a signifcant factor. Greater precipitation levels one to two years prior to sampling were associated with greater THg concentrations in polar bears and caribou, likely due to greater deposition, flooding and discharge from nearby wetlands and rivers. Time-lagged Arctic and/or North Atlantic Oscillation (AO/NAO) indices also generated significant, inverse models for all three species, agreeing with relationships in other time series of similar length. The magnitude and direction of many relationships were affected by season, duration of time-lags, and the length of the time series. Our findings support recent observations suggesting that temporal studies monitoring Hg in Arctic wildlife should consider including key climatic or weather factors to help identify consistent variables of influence and to improve temporal analyses of THg time series.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam D Morris
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive (Raven Road), Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3, Canada; Department of Chemistry, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive (Raven Road), Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada.
| | - Birgit M Braune
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive (Raven Road), Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3, Canada.
| | - Mary Gamberg
- Gamberg Consulting, Box 11267, Whitehorse, YT, Y1A 2J2, Canada.
| | - Jason Stow
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N6, Canada.
| | - Jason O'Brien
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive (Raven Road), Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3, Canada; Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive (Raven Road), Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada.
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive (Raven Road), Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3, Canada; Department of Chemistry, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive (Raven Road), Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada; Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive (Raven Road), Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada.
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