1
|
Long S, Hamilton PB, Wang C, Li C, Zhao Z, Wu P, Hua L, Wang X, Uddin MM, Xu F. Key role of plankton species and nutrients on biomagnification of PAHs in the micro-food chain: A case study in plateau reservoirs of Guizhou, China. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 475:134890. [PMID: 38876023 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134890] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
There is considerable inconsistency in results pertaining to the biomagnification of PAHs in aquatic systems. Zooplankton specifically play an important role controlling the fate and distribution of organic contaminants up the food chain, particularly in large plateau reservoirs. However, it remains largely unknown how secondary factors affect the magnification of organic compounds in zooplankton. The present study assessed plankton species and nutrients affecting the trophic transfer of PAHs through the micro-food chain in plateau reservoirs, Guizhou Province China. Results show soluble ∑PAHs range from 99.9 - 147.3 ng L-1, and concentrations of ∑PAHs in zooplankton range from 1003.2 - 22441.3, with a mean of 4460.7 ng g-1 dw. Trophic magnification factors (TMFs) > 1 show biomagnifications of PAHs from phytoplankton to zooplankton. The main mechanisms for trophic magnification > 1 are 1) small Copepoda, Cladocera and Rotifera are prey for larger N. schmackeri and P. tunguidus, and 2) the δ15N and TLs of zooplankton are increasing with the increasing nutrients TN, NO3- and CODMn. As a result, log PAHs concentrations in zooplankton are positively correlated with the trophic levels (TLs) of zooplankton, and log BAFs of the PAHs in zooplankton are increasing with increasing TLs and log Kow. Temperature further enhances TMFs and biomagnifications of PAHs as noted by temperature related reductions in δ15N. There are also available soluble PAHs in the water column which are assimilated with increasing phytoplankton biomass within the taxa groups, diatoms, dinoflagellates and chlorophytes. Notable TMFs of PAHs in zooplankton in Guizhou plateau reservoirs are not significantly affected by phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass dilutions. The present study demonstrates the important roles of species selection, nutrients and temperature in the environmental fate of PAHs in freshwaters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shengxing Long
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Ministry of Eudcation, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Paul B Hamilton
- Canadian Museum of Nature, P.O. Box 3443, Station D, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6P4, Canada
| | - Chaonan Wang
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Ministry of Eudcation, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Cunlu Li
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Ministry of Eudcation, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhao
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Ministry of Eudcation, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Peizhao Wu
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Ministry of Eudcation, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Liting Hua
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Ministry of Eudcation, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xueru Wang
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Ministry of Eudcation, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Mohammad M Uddin
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Ministry of Eudcation, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Fuliu Xu
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Ministry of Eudcation, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Albert C, Moe B, Strøm H, Grémillet D, Brault-Favrou M, Tarroux A, Descamps S, Bråthen VS, Merkel B, Åström J, Amélineau F, Angelier F, Anker-Nilssen T, Chastel O, Christensen-Dalsgaard S, Danielsen J, Elliott K, Erikstad KE, Ezhov A, Fauchald P, Gabrielsen GW, Gavrilo M, Hanssen SA, Helgason HH, Johansen MK, Kolbeinsson Y, Krasnov Y, Langset M, Lemaire J, Lorentsen SH, Olsen B, Patterson A, Plumejeaud-Perreau C, Reiertsen TK, Systad GH, Thompson PM, Lindberg Thórarinsson T, Bustamante P, Fort J. Seabirds reveal mercury distribution across the North Atlantic. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315513121. [PMID: 38739784 PMCID: PMC11126949 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315513121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a heterogeneously distributed toxicant affecting wildlife and human health. Yet, the spatial distribution of Hg remains poorly documented, especially in food webs, even though this knowledge is essential to assess large-scale risk of toxicity for the biota and human populations. Here, we used seabirds to assess, at an unprecedented population and geographic magnitude and high resolution, the spatial distribution of Hg in North Atlantic marine food webs. To this end, we combined tracking data of 837 seabirds from seven different species and 27 breeding colonies located across the North Atlantic and Atlantic Arctic together with Hg analyses in feathers representing individual seabird contamination based on their winter distribution. Our results highlight an east-west gradient in Hg concentrations with hot spots around southern Greenland and the east coast of Canada and a cold spot in the Barents and Kara Seas. We hypothesize that those gradients are influenced by eastern (Norwegian Atlantic Current and West Spitsbergen Current) and western (East Greenland Current) oceanic currents and melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet. By tracking spatial Hg contamination in marine ecosystems and through the identification of areas at risk of Hg toxicity, this study provides essential knowledge for international decisions about where the regulation of pollutants should be prioritized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Céline Albert
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés, UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle17000, France
| | - Børge Moe
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim7034, Norway
| | - Hallvard Strøm
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø9296, Norway
| | - David Grémillet
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, UMR5175, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier34293, France
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch7701, South Africa
| | - Maud Brault-Favrou
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés, UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle17000, France
| | - Arnaud Tarroux
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø9296, Norway
| | | | | | - Benjamin Merkel
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø9296, Norway
- Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre, TromsøNO-9007, Norway
| | - Jens Åström
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim7034, Norway
| | - Françoise Amélineau
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, UMR5175, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier34293, France
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-Bois79360, France
| | | | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-Bois79360, France
| | | | - Johannis Danielsen
- Seabird Ecology Department, Faroe Marine Research Institute, TórshavnFO-100, Faroe Islands
| | - Kyle Elliott
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, QCH9X 3V9, Canada
| | | | - Alexey Ezhov
- Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, Murmansk183010, Russia
| | - Per Fauchald
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø9296, Norway
| | | | - Maria Gavrilo
- Association Maritime Heritage, Icebreaker “Krassin”, Saint-PetersburgRU–199106, Russia
- National Park Russian Arctic, ArchangelskRU-168000, Russia
| | - Sveinn Are Hanssen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø9296, Norway
| | | | | | | | - Yuri Krasnov
- Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, Murmansk183010, Russia
| | | | - Jérémy Lemaire
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés, UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle17000, France
| | | | - Bergur Olsen
- Seabird Ecology Department, Faroe Marine Research Institute, TórshavnFO-100, Faroe Islands
| | - Allison Patterson
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, QCH9X 3V9, Canada
| | | | - Tone K. Reiertsen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø9296, Norway
| | | | - Paul M. Thompson
- University of Aberdeen, School of Biological Sciences, Lighthouse Field Station, Ross-shire, CromartyIV11 8YJ, Scotland
| | | | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés, UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle17000, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris75005, France
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés, UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle17000, France
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Carrasco N, McGovern M, Evenset A, Søreide JE, Arts MT, Jonsson S, Poste AE. Seasonal riverine inputs may affect diet and mercury bioaccumulation in Arctic coastal zooplankton. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167643. [PMID: 37806586 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167643] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Climate change driven increases in permafrost thaw and terrestrial runoff are expected to facilitate the mobilization and transport of mercury (Hg) from catchment soils to coastal areas in the Arctic, potentially increasing Hg exposure of marine food webs. The main aim of this study was to determine the impacts of seasonal riverine inputs on land-ocean Hg transport, zooplankton diet and Hg bioaccumulation in an Arctic estuary (Adventfjorden, Svalbard). The Adventelva River was a source of dissolved and particulate Hg to Adventfjorden, especially in June and July during the river's main discharge period. Stable isotope and fatty acid analyses suggest that zooplankton diet varied seasonally with diatoms dominating during the spring phytoplankton bloom in May and with increasing contributions of dinoflagellates in the summer months. In addition, there was evidence of increased terrestrial carbon utilization by zooplankton in June and July, when terrestrial particles contributed substantially to the particulate organic matter pool. Total (TotHg) and methyl Hg (MeHg) concentrations in zooplankton increased from April to August related to increased exposure to riverine inputs, and to shifts in zooplankton diet and community structure. Longer and warmer summer seasons will probably increase riverine runoff and thus Hg exposure to Arctic zooplankton.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Carrasco
- Department of Arctic Marine Biology, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway; Oceanographic Institute - Prince Albert I Foundation, 98000, Monaco; Norwegian Institute for Water Research, 9007 Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Maeve McGovern
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, 9007 Tromsø, Norway
| | | | | | - Michael T Arts
- Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Sofi Jonsson
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Amanda E Poste
- Department of Arctic Marine Biology, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway; Norwegian Institute for Water Research, 9007 Tromsø, Norway; Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 9296 Tromsø, Norway.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Life History of the Arctic Squid Gonatus fabricii (Cephalopoda: Oegopsida) Reconstructed by Analysis of Individual Ontogenetic Stable Isotopic Trajectories. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12243548. [PMID: 36552473 PMCID: PMC9774963 DOI: 10.3390/ani12243548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cephalopods are important in Arctic marine ecosystems as predators and prey, but knowledge of their life cycles is poor. Consequently, they are under-represented in the Arctic ecosystems assessment models. One important parameter is the change in ecological role (habitat and diet) associated with individual ontogenies. Here, the life history of Gonatus fabricii, the most abundant Arctic cephalopod, is reconstructed by the analysis of individual ontogenetic trajectories of stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) in archival hard body structures. This approach allows the prediction of the exact mantle length (ML) and mass when the species changes its ecological role. Our results show that the life history of G. fabricii is divided into four stages, each having a distinct ecology: (1) epipelagic squid (ML < 20 mm), preying mostly on copepods; (2) epi- and occasionally mesopelagic squid (ML 20−50 mm), preying on larger crustaceans, fish, and cephalopods; (3) meso- and bathypelagic squid (ML > 50 mm), preying mainly on fish and cephalopods; and (4) non-feeding bathypelagic gelatinous females (ML > 200 mm). Existing Arctic ecosystem models do not reflect the different ecological roles of G. fabricii correctly, and the novel data provided here are a necessary baseline for Arctic ecosystem modelling and forecasting.
Collapse
|
5
|
Jonsson S, Mastromonaco MN, Wang F, Bravo AG, Cairns WRL, Chételat J, Douglas TA, Lescord G, Ukonmaanaho L, Heimbürger-Boavida LE. Arctic methylmercury cycling. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 850:157445. [PMID: 35882324 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157445] [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: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic mercury (Hg) undergoes long-range transport to the Arctic where some of it is transformed into methylmercury (MeHg), potentially leading to high exposure in some Arctic inhabitants and wildlife. The environmental exposure of Hg is determined not just by the amount of Hg entering the Arctic, but also by biogeochemical and ecological processes occurring in the Arctic. These processes affect MeHg uptake in biota by regulating the bioavailability, methylation and demethylation, bioaccumulation and biomagnification of MeHg in Arctic ecosystems. Here, we present a new budget for pools and fluxes of MeHg in the Arctic and review the scientific advances made in the last decade on processes leading to environmental exposure to Hg. Methylation and demethylation are key processes controlling the pool of MeHg available for bioaccumulation. Methylation of Hg occurs in diverse Arctic environments including permafrost, sediments and the ocean water column, and is primarily a process carried out by microorganisms. While microorganisms carrying the hgcAB gene pair (responsible for Hg methylation) have been identified in Arctic soils and thawing permafrost, the formation pathway of MeHg in oxic marine waters remains less clear. Hotspots for methylation of Hg in terrestrial environments include thermokarst wetlands, ponds and lakes. The shallow sub-surface enrichment of MeHg in the Arctic Ocean, in comparison to other marine systems, is a possible explanation for high MeHg concentrations in some Arctic biota. Bioconcentration of aqueous MeHg in bacteria and algae is a critical step in the transfer of Hg to top predators, which may be dampened or enhanced by the presence of organic matter. Variable trophic position has an important influence on MeHg concentrations among populations of top predator species such as ringed seal and polar bears distributed across the circumpolar Arctic. These scientific advances highlight key processes that affect the fate of anthropogenic Hg deposited to Arctic environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sofi Jonsson
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | | | - Feiyue Wang
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, and Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Andrea G Bravo
- Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Warren R L Cairns
- CNR Institute of Polar Sciences and Ca' Foscari University, Venice, Italy
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Thomas A Douglas
- U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, Fort Wainwright, AK, USA
| | - Gretchen Lescord
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada and Laurentian University, Vale Living with Lakes Center, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
| | - Liisa Ukonmaanaho
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), P.O. Box 2, FI-00791 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lars-Eric Heimbürger-Boavida
- CNRS/INSU,Aix Marseille Université,Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), Marseille, France
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Barst BD, Chételat J, Basu N. Toxicological risk of mercury for fish and invertebrate prey in the Arctic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 836:155702. [PMID: 35523325 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155702] [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: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We assessed the risks of mercury (Hg) to Arctic marine and freshwater fish by compiling published muscle Hg concentrations and information on tissue concentrations associated with adverse effects. The assessment included 333 groups of fish representing 35 genera and 14,002 individuals sampled from sites across the circumpolar Arctic. Mean or median Hg concentrations in fish muscle varied widely from 0.005 μg/g ww to a maximum of 2.2 μg/g ww. Results indicate that most (n = 139 of 333 or ~ 42%) Arctic fish are not at risk for Hg toxicity, based on the large number of fish mean or median muscle Hg concentrations below 0.1 μg/g ww. A smaller number of the identified groups (n = 76 of 333 or ~ 23%) of Arctic fish had mean or median Hg concentrations consistent with moderate (0.3-0.5 μg/g ww), high (0.5-2 μg/g ww), and severe risk (≥2 μg/g ww). Most of the fish with Hg concentrations in these risk categories were long-lived predators (e.g., non-anadromous Arctic char, northern pike, lake trout, Greenland halibut, Greenland shark). We also, for the first time, conducted a risk assessment of Arctic marine and freshwater invertebrates to evaluate the potential for Hg effects at lower trophic levels and to support risk assessment for Arctic fish. The vast majority (90%) of site-specific Hg or methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in taxa of marine and freshwater invertebrates (n = 321) were < 0.5 μg/g dw, which is well below critical body residues of Hg in aquatic invertebrates associated with acute and sublethal effects determined in laboratory dosing studies. As the screening-level approach we carried out in the present study is not indicative of actual effects, more studies which directly evaluate the effects of Hg exposure in Arctic fish species are needed. The information here will be of use to Article 22 (Effectiveness Evaluation) of the Minamata Convention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin D Barst
- Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lippold A, Boltunov A, Aars J, Andersen M, Blanchet MA, Dietz R, Eulaers I, Morshina TN, Sevastyanov VS, Welker JM, Routti H. Spatial variation in mercury concentrations in polar bear (Ursus maritimus) hair from the Norwegian and Russian Arctic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 822:153572. [PMID: 35121036 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153572] [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: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We examined spatial variation in total mercury (THg) concentrations in 100 hair samples collected between 2008 and 2016 from 87 polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the Norwegian (Svalbard Archipelago, western Barents Sea) and Russian Arctic (Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, and Chukchi Sea). We used latitude and longitude of home range centroid for the Norwegian bears and capture position for the Russian bears to account for the locality. We additionally examined hair stable isotope values of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) to investigate feeding habits and their possible effect on THg concentrations. Median THg levels in polar bears from the Norwegian Arctic (1.99 μg g-1 dry weight) and the three Russian Arctic regions (1.33-1.75 μg g-1 dry weight) constituted about 25-50% of levels typically reported for the Greenlandic or North American populations. Total Hg concentrations in the Norwegian bears increased with intake of marine and higher trophic prey, while δ13C and δ15N did not explain variation in THg concentrations in the Russian bears. Total Hg levels were higher in northwest compared to southeast Svalbard. δ13C and δ15N values did not show any spatial pattern in the Norwegian Arctic. Total Hg concentrations adjusted for feeding ecology showed similar spatial trends as the measured concentrations. In contrast, within the Russian Arctic, THg levels were rather uniformly distributed, whereas δ13C values increased towards the east and south. The results indicate that Hg exposure in Norwegian and Russian polar bears is at the lower end of the pan-Arctic spectrum, and its spatial variation in the Norwegian and Russian Arctic is not driven by the feeding ecology of polar bears.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lippold
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø 9296, Norway
| | - Andrei Boltunov
- Marine Mammal Research and Expedition Centre, 36 Nahimovskiy pr., Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Jon Aars
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø 9296, Norway
| | | | - Marie-Anne Blanchet
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø 9296, Norway; UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø 9019, Norway
| | - Rune Dietz
- Aarhus University, Institute of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø 9296, Norway; Aarhus University, Institute of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Tamara N Morshina
- Research and Production Association "Typhoon", 249038 Obninsk, Kaluga Region, Russia
| | | | - Jeffrey M Welker
- University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage 99508, United States; University of Oulu, Oulu 90014, Finland; University of the Arctic, Rovaniemi 96460, Finland
| | - Heli Routti
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø 9296, Norway.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Smith RA, Yurkowski DJ, Parkinson KJL, Fort J, Hennin HL, Gilchrist HG, Hobson KA, Mallory ML, Danielsen J, Garbus SE, Hanssen SA, Jónsson JE, Latty CJ, Magnúsdóttir E, Moe B, Parsons GJ, Sonne C, Tertitski G, Love OP. Environmental and life-history factors influence inter-colony multidimensional niche metrics of a breeding Arctic marine bird. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 796:148935. [PMID: 34274678 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Human industrialization has resulted in rapid climate change, leading to wide-scale environmental shifts. These shifts can modify food web dynamics by altering the abundance and distribution of primary producers (ice algae and phytoplankton), as well as animals at higher trophic levels. Methylmercury (MeHg) is a neuro-endocrine disrupting compound which biomagnifies in animals as a function of prey choice, and as such bioavailability is affected by altered food web dynamics and adds an important risk-based dimension in studies of foraging ecology. Multidimensional niche dynamics (MDND; δ13C, δ15N, THg; total mercury) were determined among breeding common eider (Somateria mollissima) ducks sampled from 10 breeding colonies distributed across the circumpolar Arctic and subarctic. Results showed high variation in MDND among colonies as indicated by niche size and ranges in δ13C, δ15N and THg values in relation to spatial differences in primary production inferred from sea-ice presence and colony migratory status. Colonies with higher sea-ice cover during the pre-incubation period had higher median colony THg, δ15N, and δ13C. Individuals at migratory colonies had relatively higher THg and δ15N, and lower δ13C, suggesting a higher trophic position and a greater reliance on phytoplankton-based prey. It was concluded that variation in MDND exists among eider colonies which influenced individual blood THg concentrations. Further exploration of spatial ecotoxicology and MDND at each individual site is important to examine the relationships between anthropogenic activities, foraging behaviour, and the related risks of contaminant exposure at even low, sub-lethal concentrations that may contribute to deleterious effects on population stability over time. Overall, multidimensional niche analysis that incorporates multiple isotopic and contaminant metrics could help identify those populations at risk to rapidly altered food web dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reyd A Smith
- University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | | | | | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS - La Rochelle University, La Rochelle FR-17000, France
| | - Holly L Hennin
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K0A 1H0, Canada
| | - H Grant Gilchrist
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K0A 1H0, Canada
| | | | - Mark L Mallory
- cadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Jón Einar Jónsson
- University of Iceland's Research Centre at Snæfellsnes, Hafnargata 3, 340 Stykkishólmur, Iceland
| | - Christopher J Latty
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks, AK 99701, United States
| | - Ellen Magnúsdóttir
- University of Iceland's Research Centre at Snæfellsnes, Hafnargata 3, 340 Stykkishólmur, Iceland
| | - Børge Moe
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Tromsø N-9296, Norway
| | - Glen J Parsons
- Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forestry, Kentville, Nova Scotia B4N 4E5, Canada
| | | | - Grigori Tertitski
- Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119017, Russia
| | - Oliver P Love
- University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Facciola N, Pedro S, Houde M, Fisk AT, Ferguson SH, Steer H, Muir DCG, McKinney MA. Measurable Levels of Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins in Western Hudson Bay Fishes but Limited Biomagnification from Fish to Ringed Seals. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:2990-2999. [PMID: 34352119 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5188] [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: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We investigated short-chain (C10-13 ) chlorinated paraffins (SCCP) in an Arctic marine food web. In zooplankton, fishes, and ringed seals from western Hudson Bay, Canada, SCCP concentrations ranged from 38.3 to 687 ng g-1 lipid weight. Monte Carlo-simulated trophic-adjusted biomagnification factors of individual SCCP congeners ranged from 0.07 to 0.55 for small pelagic fishes to seals. Despite relatively high concentrations in fishes, biomagnification of SCCPs within this food web appears limited. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2990-2999. © 2021 SETAC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Facciola
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sara Pedro
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Magali Houde
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montreal, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aaron T Fisk
- School of the Environment, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Steven H Ferguson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Central and Arctic Region, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Helena Steer
- National Laboratory for Environmental Testing, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
| | - Derek C G Muir
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlingto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Melissa A McKinney
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Zinc isotopes from archaeological bones provide reliable tropic level information for marine mammals. Commun Biol 2021; 4:683. [PMID: 34083709 PMCID: PMC8175341 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02212-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In marine ecology, dietary interpretations of faunal assemblages often rely on nitrogen isotopes as the main or only applicable trophic level tracer. We investigate the geographic variability and trophic level isotopic discrimination factors of bone zinc 66Zn/64Zn ratios (δ66Zn value) and compared it to collagen nitrogen and carbon stable isotope (δ15N and δ13C) values. Focusing on ringed seals (Pusa hispida) and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from multiple Arctic archaeological sites, we investigate trophic interactions between predator and prey over a broad geographic area. All proxies show variability among sites, influenced by the regional food web baselines. However, δ66Zn shows a significantly higher homogeneity among different sites. We observe a clear trophic spacing for δ15N and δ66Zn values in all locations, yet δ66Zn analysis allows a more direct dietary comparability between spatially and temporally distinct locations than what is possible by δ15N and δ13C analysis alone. When combining all three proxies, a more detailed and refined dietary analysis is possible.
Collapse
|
12
|
Albert C, Helgason HH, Brault-Favrou M, Robertson GJ, Descamps S, Amélineau F, Danielsen J, Dietz R, Elliott K, Erikstad KE, Eulaers I, Ezhov A, Fitzsimmons MG, Gavrilo M, Golubova E, Grémillet D, Hatch S, Huffeldt NP, Jakubas D, Kitaysky A, Kolbeinsson Y, Krasnov Y, Lorentsen SH, Lorentzen E, Mallory ML, Merkel B, Merkel FR, Montevecchi W, Mosbech A, Olsen B, Orben RA, Patterson A, Provencher J, Plumejeaud C, Pratte I, Reiertsen TK, Renner H, Rojek N, Romano M, Strøm H, Systad GH, Takahashi A, Thiebot JB, Thórarinsson TL, Will AP, Wojczulanis-Jakubas K, Bustamante P, Fort J. Seasonal variation of mercury contamination in Arctic seabirds: A pan-Arctic assessment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 750:142201. [PMID: 33182207 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a natural trace element found in high concentrations in top predators, including Arctic seabirds. Most current knowledge about Hg concentrations in Arctic seabirds relates to exposure during the summer breeding period when researchers can easily access seabirds at colonies. However, the few studies focused on winter have shown higher Hg concentrations during the non-breeding period than breeding period in several tissues. Hence, improving knowledge about Hg exposure during the non-breeding period is crucial to understanding the threats and risks encountered by these species year-round. We used feathers of nine migratory alcid species occurring at high latitudes to study bird Hg exposure during both the breeding and non-breeding periods. Overall, Hg concentrations during the non-breeding period were ~3 times higher than during the breeding period. In addition, spatial differences were apparent within and between the Atlantic and Pacific regions. While Hg concentrations during the non-breeding period were ~9 times and ~3 times higher than during the breeding period for the West and East Atlantic respectively, Hg concentrations in the Pacific during the non-breeding period were only ~1.7 times higher than during the breeding period. In addition, individual Hg concentrations during the non-breeding period for most of the seabird colonies were above 5 μg g-1 dry weight (dw), which is considered to be the threshold at which deleterious effects are observed, suggesting that some breeding populations might be vulnerable to non-breeding Hg exposure. Since wintering area locations, and migration routes may influence seasonal Hg concentrations, it is crucial to improve our knowledge about spatial ecotoxicology to fully understand the risks associated with Hg contamination in Arctic seabirds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Céline Albert
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, FR-17000 La Rochelle, France.
| | - Hálfdán Helgi Helgason
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Framcentre, Hjalmar Johansens Gate 14, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Maud Brault-Favrou
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, FR-17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Gregory J Robertson
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment Climate Change Canada, 6 Bruce Street, Mount Pearl, NL A1N 4T3, Canada
| | - Sébastien Descamps
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Framcentre, Hjalmar Johansens Gate 14, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Françoise Amélineau
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE) UMR 5175, CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Jóhannis Danielsen
- The Faroese Marine Research Institute, Nóatún 1, FO-100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Rune Dietz
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Kyle Elliott
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Kjell Einar Erikstad
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), FRAM - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, PO Box 6606, Langnes, NO-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Alexey Ezhov
- Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, 17 Vladimirskaya street, 183010 Murmansk, Russia
| | - Michelle G Fitzsimmons
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment Climate Change Canada, 6 Bruce Street, Mount Pearl, NL A1N 4T3, Canada
| | - Maria Gavrilo
- Association Maritime Heritage, RU - 199106, Icebreaker "Krassin", The Lieutenant Schmidt emb., 23 Line, Saint-Petersburg, Russia; National Park Russian Arctic, RU-168000, Sovetskikh kosmonavtov ave., 57, Archangelsk, Russia
| | - Elena Golubova
- Laboratory of Ornithology, Institute of Biological Problems of the North, RU-685000 Magadan, Portovaya Str., 18, Russia
| | - David Grémillet
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE) UMR 5175, CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Montpellier, France; FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, UCT, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa; Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372-CNRS, La Rochelle Université, France
| | - Scott Hatch
- Institute for Seabird Research and Conservation, Anchorage 99516-3185, AK, USA
| | - Nicholas P Huffeldt
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Dariusz Jakubas
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Biology, Dept. of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Wita Stwosza 59, PL-80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Alexander Kitaysky
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Yann Kolbeinsson
- Northeast Iceland Nature Research Centre, Hafnarstétt 3, 640 Húsavík, Iceland
| | - Yuri Krasnov
- Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, 17 Vladimirskaya street, 183010 Murmansk, Russia
| | - Svein-Håkon Lorentsen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Høgskoleringen 9, NO-7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Erlend Lorentzen
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Framcentre, Hjalmar Johansens Gate 14, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Mark L Mallory
- Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville B4P 2R6, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Benjamin Merkel
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Framcentre, Hjalmar Johansens Gate 14, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Flemming Ravn Merkel
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 570, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland
| | - William Montevecchi
- Psychology Department, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland A1M 2Y8, Canada
| | - Anders Mosbech
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Bergur Olsen
- The Faroese Marine Research Institute, Nóatún 1, FO-100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Rachael A Orben
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 2030 SE Marine Science Dr., Newport, OR 97365, USA
| | - Allison Patterson
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Jennifer Provencher
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Place Vincent Massey, 351 St. Joseph Blvd, Hull, Quebec K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Christine Plumejeaud
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, FR-17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Isabeau Pratte
- Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville B4P 2R6, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Tone Kristin Reiertsen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), FRAM - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, PO Box 6606, Langnes, NO-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Heather Renner
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge, Homer, AK, USA
| | - Nora Rojek
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge, Homer, AK, USA
| | - Marc Romano
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge, Homer, AK, USA
| | - Hallvard Strøm
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Framcentre, Hjalmar Johansens Gate 14, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Geir Helge Systad
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Thormøhlensgate 55, N0-5006 Bergen, Norway
| | - Akinori Takahashi
- National Institute of Polar Research, 10-3, Midori-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo 190-8518, Japan
| | - Jean-Baptiste Thiebot
- National Institute of Polar Research, 10-3, Midori-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo 190-8518, Japan
| | | | - Alexis P Will
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Katarzyna Wojczulanis-Jakubas
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Biology, Dept. of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Wita Stwosza 59, PL-80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, FR-17000 La Rochelle, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, FR-17000 La Rochelle, France.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Broad feeding niches of capelin and sand lance may overlap those of polar cod and other native fish in the eastern Canadian Arctic. Polar Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-020-02738-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
|
14
|
Wu P, Zakem EJ, Dutkiewicz S, Zhang Y. Biomagnification of Methylmercury in a Marine Plankton Ecosystem. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:5446-5455. [PMID: 32054263 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b06075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury is greatly bioconcentrated and biomagnified in marine plankton ecosystems, and these communities form the basis of marine food webs. Therefore, the evaluation of the potential exposure of methylmercury to higher trophic levels, including humans, requires a better understanding of its distribution in the ocean and the factors that control its biomagnification. In this study, a coupled physical/ecological model is used to simulate the trophic transfer of monomethylmercury (MMHg) in a marine plankton ecosystem. The model includes phytoplankton, a microbial community, herbivorous zooplankton (HZ), and carnivorous zooplankton (CZ). The model captures both shorter food chains in oligotrophic regions, with small HZ feeding on small phytoplankton, and longer chains in higher nutrient conditions, with larger HZ feeding on larger phytoplankton and larger CZ feeding on larger HZ. In the model, trophic dilution occurs in the food webs that involve small zooplankton, as the grazing fluxes of small zooplankton are insufficient to accumulate more MMHg in themselves than in their prey. The model suggests that biomagnification is more prominent in large zooplankton and that the microbial community plays an important role in the trophic transfer of MMHg. Sensitivity analyses show that with increasing body size, the sensitivity of the trophic magnification ratio to grazing, mortality rates, and food assimilation efficiency (AEC) increases, while the sensitivity to excretion rates decreases. More predation or a longer zooplankton lifespan may lead to more prominent biomagnification, especially for large species. Because lower AEC results in more predation, modeled ratios of MMHg concentrations between large plankton are doubled or even tripled when the AEC decreases from 50% to 10%. This suggests that the biomagnification of large zooplankton is particularly sensitive to food assimilation efficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peipei Wu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Sciences, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Emily J Zakem
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089 United States
| | - Stephanie Dutkiewicz
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 United States
| | - Yanxu Zhang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Sciences, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Loria A, Archambault P, Burt A, Ehrman A, Grant C, Power M, Stern GA. Mercury and stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) trends in decapods of the Beaufort Sea. Polar Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-020-02646-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
16
|
Wang K, Munson KM, Beaupré-Laperrière A, Mucci A, Macdonald RW, Wang F. Subsurface seawater methylmercury maximum explains biotic mercury concentrations in the Canadian Arctic. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14465. [PMID: 30262886 PMCID: PMC6160454 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32760-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a contaminant of major concern in Arctic marine ecosystems. Decades of Hg observations in marine biota from across the Canadian Arctic show generally higher concentrations in the west than in the east. Various hypotheses have attributed this longitudinal biotic Hg gradient to regional differences in atmospheric or terrestrial inputs of inorganic Hg, but it is methylmercury (MeHg) that accumulates and biomagnifies in marine biota. Here, we present high-resolution vertical profiles of total Hg and MeHg in seawater along a transect from the Canada Basin, across the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) and Baffin Bay, and into the Labrador Sea. Total Hg concentrations are lower in the western Arctic, opposing the biotic Hg distributions. In contrast, MeHg exhibits a distinctive subsurface maximum at shallow depths of 100–300 m, with its peak concentration decreasing eastwards. As this subsurface MeHg maximum lies within the habitat of zooplankton and other lower trophic-level biota, biological uptake of subsurface MeHg and subsequent biomagnification readily explains the biotic Hg concentration gradient. Understanding the risk of MeHg to the Arctic marine ecosystem and Indigenous Peoples will thus require an elucidation of the processes that generate and maintain this subsurface MeHg maximum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kang Wang
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, and Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Kathleen M Munson
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, and Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Alexis Beaupré-Laperrière
- GEOTOP, and Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0E8, Canada
| | - Alfonso Mucci
- GEOTOP, and Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0E8, Canada
| | - Robie W Macdonald
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, and Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada.,Institute of Ocean Sciences, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Sidney, British Columbia, V8L 4B2, Canada
| | - Feiyue Wang
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, and Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Mallory ML, Braune BM. Do concentrations in eggs and liver tissue tell the same story of temporal trends of mercury in high Arctic seabirds? J Environ Sci (China) 2018; 68:65-72. [PMID: 29908746 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2017.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) remains a key contaminant of concern in Arctic biota, and monitoring of Hg concentrations in seabird tissues will be an effective approach to track the effects of implementing the Minamata Convention. We examined trends in total Hg (THg) in liver and egg tissues of two Arctic seabirds, thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) and northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis), between 1976 and 2013 to assess whether both tissues showed similar patterns of Hg change. Hepatic THg was consistently higher than egg THg, and both species had similar egg THg concentrations, but fulmars had higher hepatic THg than murres. Murre THg concentrations showed more relative variation through time than fulmars. We suggest that egg THg better reflects exposure of birds to THg in local, Arctic prey, whereas liver THg may incorporate longer term, year-round THg exposure. Additional analysis of THg distribution in Arctic seabirds post-laying would help inform interpretation of long-term trends.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark L Mallory
- Biology Department, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6, Canada.
| | - Birgit M Braune
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton, University, Raven Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H3, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Pomerleau C, Matthews CJD, Gobeil C, Stern GA, Ferguson SH, Macdonald RW. Mercury and stable isotope cycles in baleen plates are consistent with year-round feeding in two bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) populations. Polar Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-018-2329-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
|