1
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Aqdam MM, Baltzer JL, Branfireun BA, Low G, Low M, Swanson HK. Can remotely sensed catchment to lake area ratios predict mercury levels in subarctic fishes? ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 260:119545. [PMID: 38986798 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Mercury concentrations ([Hg]) in fish reflect a complex array of interacting biogeochemical and ecological variables. In northern regions where fish are a critical subsistence food, understanding and predicting fish [Hg] can be particularly difficult, largely due to a paucity of comprehensive data associated with the logistical challenges of field sampling. Building on previous work where we elucidated causal relationships between fish [Hg] and a variety of catchment, water quality, and ecological variables in subarctic lakes, we investigated whether using only ratios of catchment area to lake area (CA:LA) can predict [Hg] in northern freshwater fish species. As CA:LA can be sensed remotely, they may be more feasible and practical to obtain than field data in far northern regions. Our study included thirteen remote lakes that represent a CA:LA gradient of 6.2-423.5 within an ∼66,000 km2 subarctic region of Northwest Territories, Canada. We found that size-standardized [Hg] in three widespread fish species, including Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), Walleye (Sander vitreus), and Northern Pike (Esox lucius), were significantly and positively related to CA:LA (p < 0.007, r2 = 67-80%), indicating higher fish [Hg] in smaller lakes surrounded by relatively larger catchments. Our findings provide compelling evidence that remotely sensed CA:LA can be used to predict [Hg] in northern fishes and aid in prioritizing understudied and subsistence fishing lakes of the Canadian subarctic for [Hg] monitoring programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi M Aqdam
- Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada; Azimuth Consulting Group Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | | | | | - George Low
- Dehcho Aboriginal Aquatic Resources & Oceans Management, Hay River, NT, Canada
| | - Mike Low
- Dehcho Aboriginal Aquatic Resources & Oceans Management, Hay River, NT, Canada
| | - Heidi K Swanson
- Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
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2
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Hudelson K, Muir DCG, Köck G, Wang X, Kirk JL, Lehnherr I. Mercury at the top of the world: A 31-year record of mercury in Arctic char in the largest High Arctic lake, linked to atmospheric mercury concentrations and climate oscillations. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 337:122466. [PMID: 37689133 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122466] [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: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Lake Hazen, the largest lake north of the Arctic circle, is being impacted by mercury (Hg) pollution and climate change. The lake is inhabited by two morphotypes of land-locked Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), a sensitive indicator species for pollution and climatic impacts. The objectives of this study were to describe the trends in Hg concentration over time and to determine the relationship of climate to length-at-age and Hg concentrations in each char morphotype, as well as the relationship to atmospheric Hg measurements at a nearby monitoring station. Results for Hg in char muscle were available from 20 sampling years over the period 1990 to 2021. We found significant declines in Hg concentrations for both morphotypes during the 31-year study period. Increased rain and earlier freeze-up of lake ice during the summer growing season was linked to increased length-at-age in both char morphotypes. For the large morphotype, higher total gaseous Hg in the fall and winter seasons was related to higher concentrations of Hg in char, while increased glacial runoff was related to decreases in char Hg. For the small morphotype char, increased snow and snow accumulation in the fall season were linked to declines in char Hg concentration. The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation and Arctic Oscillation were positively related to the large char Hg trend and Arctic Oscillation was positively related to the small char Hg trend. Significant trend relationships between atmospheric Hg and Hg in biota in remote regions are rare and uniquely valuable for evaluation of the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention and related monitoring efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Derek C G Muir
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1; Environment & Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, Canada, L7S 1A1.
| | - Günter Köck
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research (ÖAW-IGF), A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Xiaowa Wang
- Environment & Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, Canada, L7S 1A1.
| | - Jane L Kirk
- Environment & Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, Canada, L7S 1A1.
| | - Igor Lehnherr
- Department of Geography, Geomatics and Environment, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, L5L 1C6, Canada.
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3
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Kozak N, Kahilainen KK, Pakkanen HK, Hayden B, Østbye K, Taipale SJ. Mercury and amino acid content relations in northern pike (Esox lucius) in subarctic lakes along a climate-productivity gradient. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 233:116511. [PMID: 37369304 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116511] [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: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Mercury is a highly toxic element for consumers, but its relation to amino acids and physiology of wild fish is not well known. The main aim of this study was to evaluate how total mercury content (THg) of northern pike (Esox lucius) is related to amino acids and potentially important environmental and biological factors along a climate-productivity gradient of ten subarctic lakes. Linear regression between THg and sixteen amino acids content [nmol mg-1 dry weight] from white dorsal muscle of pike from these lakes were tested. Lastly, a general linear model (GLM) for age-corrected THg was used to test which factors are significantly related to mercury content of pike. There was a positive relationship between THg and proline. Seven out of sixteen analysed amino acids (histidine, threonine, arginine, serine, glutamic acid, glycine, and aspartic acid) were significantly negatively related to warmer and more productive lakes, while THg showed a positive relationship. GLM model indicated higher THg was found in higher trophic level pike with lower cysteine content and inhabiting warmer and more productive lakes with larger catchment containing substantial proportion of peatland area. In general, THg was not only related to the biological and environmental variables but also to amino acid content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Kozak
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, Anne Evenstad Veg 80, NO-2480, Koppang, Norway.
| | - Kimmo K Kahilainen
- Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Pääjärventie 320, FI-16900, Lammi, Finland; Kilpisjärvi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Käsivarrentie 14622, FI-99490, Kilpisjärvi, Finland
| | - Hannu K Pakkanen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O.Box 35 (YA), FI-40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Brian Hayden
- Biology Department, Canadian Rivers Institute, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Kjartan Østbye
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, Anne Evenstad Veg 80, NO-2480, Koppang, Norway; Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O.Box 1066, Blindern, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sami J Taipale
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O.Box 35 (YA), FI-40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
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4
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Piro AJ, Taipale SJ, Laiho HM, Eerola ES, Kahilainen KK. Fish muscle mercury concentration and bioaccumulation fluctuate year-round - Insights from cyprinid and percid fishes in a humic boreal lake. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116187. [PMID: 37224941 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116187] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Boreal lakes demonstrate pronounced seasonality, where the warm open-water season and subsequent cold and ice-covered season dominate natural cycles. While fish muscle total mercury concentration (mg/kg) [THg] is well documented in open-water summer months, there is limited knowledge on the ice-covered winter and spring mercury dynamics in fish from various foraging and thermal guilds. This year-round study tested how seasonality influences [THg] and its bioaccumulation in three percids, perch (Perca fluviatilis), pikeperch (Sander lucioperca), ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernua), and three cyprinids, roach (Rutilus rutilus), bleak (Alburnus alburnus), and bream (Abramis brama) in deep boreal mesotrophic Lake Pääjärvi, southern Finland. Fish were sampled and [THg] was quantified in the dorsal muscle during four seasons in this humic lake. Bioaccumulation regression slopes (mean ± STD, 0.039 ± 0.030, range 0.013-0.114) between [THg] and fish length were steepest during and after spawning and shallowest during autumn and winter for all species. Fish [THg] was significantly higher in the winter-spring than summer-autumn in all percids, however, not in cyprinids. The lowest [THg] was observed in summer and autumn, likely due to recovery from spring spawning, somatic growth and lipid accumulation. Fish [THg] was best described by multiple regression models (R2adj: 52-76%) which included total length and varying combinations of seasonally changing environmental (water temperature, total carbon, total nitrogen, and oxygen saturation) and biotic factors (gonadosomatic index, and sex) in all species. The seasonal variation in [THg] and bioaccumulation slopes across multiple species suggests a need for standardized sampling seasons in long-term monitoring to avoid any seasonality bias. From the fisheries and fish consumption perspective in seasonally ice-covered lakes, monitoring of both winter-spring and summer-autumn would improve knowledge of [THg] variation in fish muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Piro
- Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Pääjärventie 320, FI-16900, Lammi, Finland.
| | - S J Taipale
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (YA), FI-40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - H M Laiho
- Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Pääjärventie 320, FI-16900, Lammi, Finland
| | - E S Eerola
- Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Pääjärventie 320, FI-16900, Lammi, Finland
| | - K K Kahilainen
- Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Pääjärventie 320, FI-16900, Lammi, Finland
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5
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Sonke JE, Angot H, Zhang Y, Poulain A, Björn E, Schartup A. Global change effects on biogeochemical mercury cycling. AMBIO 2023; 52:853-876. [PMID: 36988895 PMCID: PMC10073400 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01855-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Past and present anthropogenic mercury (Hg) release to ecosystems causes neurotoxicity and cardiovascular disease in humans with an estimated economic cost of $117 billion USD annually. Humans are primarily exposed to Hg via the consumption of contaminated freshwater and marine fish. The UNEP Minamata Convention on Hg aims to curb Hg release to the environment and is accompanied by global Hg monitoring efforts to track its success. The biogeochemical Hg cycle is a complex cascade of release, dispersal, transformation and bio-uptake processes that link Hg sources to Hg exposure. Global change interacts with the Hg cycle by impacting the physical, biogeochemical and ecological factors that control these processes. In this review we examine how global change such as biome shifts, deforestation, permafrost thaw or ocean stratification will alter Hg cycling and exposure. Based on past declines in Hg release and environmental levels, we expect that future policy impacts should be distinguishable from global change effects at the regional and global scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen E. Sonke
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, CNRS/IRD, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse 3, 14 ave Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Hélène Angot
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, INRAE, IRD, Grenoble INP, IGE, 1025 rue de la piscine, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Yanxu Zhang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023 Jiangsu China
| | - Alexandre Poulain
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N6N5 Canada
| | - Erik Björn
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Amina Schartup
- Geosciences Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
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6
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Amundsen PA, Henriksson M, Poste A, Prati S, Power M. Ecological Drivers of Mercury Bioaccumulation in Fish of a Subarctic Watercourse. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:873-887. [PMID: 36727562 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5580] [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: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a serious concern for aquatic ecosystems because it may biomagnify to harmful concentrations within food webs and consequently end up in humans that eat fish. However, the trophic transfer of mercury through the aquatic food web may be impacted by several factors related to network complexity and the ecology of the species present. The present study addresses the interplay between trophic ecology and mercury contamination in the fish communities of two lakes in a pollution-impacted subarctic watercourse, exploring the role of both horizontal (feeding habitat) and vertical (trophic position) food web characteristics as drivers for the Hg contamination in fish. The lakes are located in the upper and lower parts of the watercourse, with the lower site located closer to, and downstream from, the main pollution source. The lakes have complex fish communities dominated by coregonids (polymorphic whitefish and invasive vendace) and several piscivorous species. Analyses of habitat use, stomach contents, and stable isotope signatures (δ15 N, δ13 C) revealed similar food web structures in the two lakes except for a few differences chiefly related to ecological effects of the invasive vendace. The piscivores had higher Hg concentrations than invertebrate-feeding fish. Concentrations increased with size and age for the piscivores and vendace, whereas habitat differences were of minor importance. Most fish species showed significant differences in Hg concentrations between the lakes, the highest values typically found in the downstream site where the biomagnification rate also was higher. Mercury levels in piscivorous fish included concentrations that exceed health authorization limits, with possible negative implications for fishing and human consumption. Our findings accentuate the importance of acquiring detailed knowledge of the drivers that can magnify Hg concentrations in fish and how these may vary within and among aquatic systems, to provide a scientific basis for adequate management strategies. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:873-887. © 2023 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Per-Arne Amundsen
- Freshwater Ecology Group, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty for Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Matilda Henriksson
- Freshwater Ecology Group, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty for Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Amanda Poste
- Freshwater Ecology Group, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty for Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- The Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Framsenteret, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Sebastian Prati
- Freshwater Ecology Group, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty for Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Michael Power
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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7
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Keva O, Kiljunen M, Hämäläinen H, Jones RI, Kahilainen KK, Kankaala P, Laine MB, Schilder J, Strandberg U, Vesterinen J, Taipale SJ. Allochthony, fatty acid and mercury trends in muscle of Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) along boreal environmental gradients. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:155982. [PMID: 35588838 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Environmental change, including joint effects of increasing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total phosphorus (TP) in boreal northern lakes may affect food web energy sources and the biochemical composition of organisms. These environmental stressors are enhanced by anthropogenic land-use and can decrease the quality of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in seston and zooplankton, and therefore, possibly cascading up to fish. In contrast, the content of mercury in fish increases with lake browning potentially amplified by intensive forestry practises. However, there is little evidence on how these environmental stressors simultaneously impact beneficial omega-3 fatty acid (n3-FA) and total mercury (THg) content of fish muscle for human consumption. A space-for-time substitution study was conducted to assess whether environmental stressors affect Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) allochthony and muscle nutritional quality [PUFA, THg, and their derivative, the hazard quotient (HQ)]. Perch samples were collected from 31 Finnish lakes along pronounced lake size (0.03-107.5 km2), DOC (5.0-24.3 mg L-1), TP (5-118 μg L-1) and land-use gradients (forest: 50.7-96.4%, agriculture: 0-32.6%). These environmental gradients were combined using principal component analysis (PCA). Allochthony for individual perch was modelled using source and consumer δ2H values. Perch allochthony increased with decreasing lake pH and increasing forest coverage (PC1), but no correlation between lake DOC and perch allochthony was found. Perch muscle THg and omega-6 fatty acid (n6-FA) content increased with PC1 parallel with allochthony. Perch muscle DHA (22:6n3) content decreased, and ALA (18:3n3) increased towards shallower murkier lakes (PC2). Perch allochthony was positively correlated with muscle THg and n6-FA content, but did not correlate with n3-FA content. Hence, the quality of perch muscle for human consumption decreases (increase in HQ) with increasing forest coverage and decreasing pH, potentially mediated by increasing fish allochthony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ossi Keva
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (YA), FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland.
| | - Mikko Kiljunen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (YA), FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Heikki Hämäläinen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (YA), FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Roger I Jones
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (YA), FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Kimmo K Kahilainen
- Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Pääjärventie 320, FI-16900 Lammi, Finland
| | - Paula Kankaala
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Miikka B Laine
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (YA), FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Jos Schilder
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (YA), FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Ursula Strandberg
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Jussi Vesterinen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland; Association for Water and Environment of Western Uusimaa, Lohja, Finland
| | - Sami J Taipale
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (YA), FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
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8
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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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9
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Blanchet CC, Arzel C, Davranche A, Kahilainen KK, Secondi J, Taipale S, Lindberg H, Loehr J, Manninen-Johansen S, Sundell J, Maanan M, Nummi P. Ecology and extent of freshwater browning - What we know and what should be studied next in the context of global change. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 812:152420. [PMID: 34953836 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Water browning or brownification refers to increasing water color, often related to increasing dissolved organic matter (DOM) and carbon (DOC) content in freshwaters. Browning has been recognized as a significant physicochemical phenomenon altering boreal lakes, but our understanding of its ecological consequences in different freshwater habitats and regions is limited. Here, we review the consequences of browning on different freshwater habitats, food webs and aquatic-terrestrial habitat coupling. We examine global trends of browning and DOM/DOC, and the use of remote sensing as a tool to investigate browning from local to global scales. Studies have focused on lakes and rivers while seldom addressing effects at the catchment scale. Other freshwater habitats such as small and temporary waterbodies have been overlooked, making the study of the entire network of the catchment incomplete. While past research investigated the response of primary producers, aquatic invertebrates and fishes, the effects of browning on macrophytes, invasive species, and food webs have been understudied. Research has focused on freshwater habitats without considering the fluxes between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. We highlight the importance of understanding how the changes in one habitat may cascade to another. Browning is a broader phenomenon than the heretofore concentration on the boreal region. Overall, we propose that future studies improve the ecological understanding of browning through the following research actions: 1) increasing our knowledge of ecological processes of browning in other wetland types than lakes and rivers, 2) assessing the impact of browning on aquatic food webs at multiple scales, 3) examining the effects of browning on aquatic-terrestrial habitat coupling, 4) expanding our knowledge of browning from the local to global scale, and 5) using remote sensing to examine browning and its ecological consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarisse C Blanchet
- Department of Biology, FI-20014, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Forest Sciences, P.O. Box 27, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Céline Arzel
- Department of Biology, FI-20014, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Aurélie Davranche
- CNRS UMR 6554 LETG, University of Angers, 2 Boulevard Lavoisier, FR-49000 Angers, France
| | - Kimmo K Kahilainen
- University of Helsinki, Lammi Biological Station, Pääjärventie 320, FI-16900 Lammi, Finland
| | - Jean Secondi
- University of Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France; Faculty of Sciences, University of Angers, F-49000 Angers, France
| | - Sami Taipale
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Henrik Lindberg
- HAMK University of Applied Sciences, Forestry Programme, Saarelantie 1, FI-16970 Evo, Finland
| | - John Loehr
- University of Helsinki, Lammi Biological Station, Pääjärventie 320, FI-16900 Lammi, Finland
| | | | - Janne Sundell
- University of Helsinki, Lammi Biological Station, Pääjärventie 320, FI-16900 Lammi, Finland
| | - Mohamed Maanan
- UMR CNRS 6554, University of Nantes, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Petri Nummi
- Department of Forest Sciences, P.O. Box 27, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
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10
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Ekblad C, Eulaers I, Schulz R, Stjernberg T, Søndergaard J, Zubrod J, Laaksonen T. Spatial and dietary sources of elevated mercury exposure in white-tailed eagle nestlings in an Arctic freshwater environment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 290:117952. [PMID: 34425374 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Human-induced mercury (Hg) contamination is of global concern and its effects on wildlife remain of high concern, especially in environmental hotspots such as inland aquatic ecosystems. Mercury biomagnifies through the food web resulting in high exposure in apex predators, such as the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), making them excellent sentinel species for environmental Hg contamination. An expanding population of white-tailed eagles is inhabiting a sparsely populated inland area in Lapland, northern Finland, mainly around two large reservoirs flooded 50 years ago. As previous preliminary work revealed elevated Hg levels in this population, we measured Hg exposure along with dietary proxies (δ13C and δ15N) in body feathers collected from white-tailed eagle nestlings in this area between 2007 and 2018. Mercury concentrations were investigated in relation to territory characteristics, proximity to the reservoirs and dietary ecology as potential driving factors of Hg contamination. Mercury concentrations in the nestlings (4.97-31.02 μg g-1 dw) were elevated, compared to earlier reported values in nestlings from the Finnish Baltic coast, and exceeded normal background levels (≤5.00 μg g-1) while remaining below the tentative threshold of elevated risk for Hg exposure mediated health effect (>40.00 μg g-1). The main drivers of Hg contamination were trophic position (proxied by δ15N), the dietary proportion of the predatory fish pike (Esox lucius), and the vicinity to the Porttipahta reservoir. We also identified a potential evolutionary trap, as increased intake of the preferred prey, pike, increases exposure. All in all, we present results for poorly understood freshwater lake environments and show that more efforts should be dedicated to further unravel potentially complex pathways of Hg exposure to wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Ekblad
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland.
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Ralf Schulz
- IES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, DE-76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Torsten Stjernberg
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, PO Box 17, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jens Søndergaard
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jochen Zubrod
- IES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, DE-76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Toni Laaksonen
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
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11
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Kozak N, Ahonen SA, Keva O, Østbye K, Taipale SJ, Hayden B, Kahilainen KK. Environmental and biological factors are joint drivers of mercury biomagnification in subarctic lake food webs along a climate and productivity gradient. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 779:146261. [PMID: 34030265 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146261] [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: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Subarctic lakes are getting warmer and more productive due to the joint effects of climate change and intensive land-use practices (e.g. forest clear-cutting and peatland ditching), processes that potentially increase leaching of peat- and soil-stored mercury into lake ecosystems. We sampled biotic communities from primary producers (algae) to top consumers (piscivorous fish), in 19 subarctic lakes situated on a latitudinal (69.0-66.5° N), climatic (+3.2 °C temperature and +30% precipitation from north to south) and catchment land-use (pristine to intensive forestry areas) gradient. We first tested how the joint effects of climate and productivity influence mercury biomagnification in food webs focusing on the trophic magnification slope (TMS) and mercury baseline (THg baseline) level, both derived from linear regression between total mercury (log10THg) and organism trophic level (TL). We examined a suite of environmental and biotic variables thought to explain THg baseline and TMS with stepwise generalized multiple regression models. Finally, we assessed how climate and lake productivity affect the THg content of top predators in subarctic lakes. We found biomagnification of mercury in all studied lakes, but with variable TMS and THg baseline values. In stepwise multiple regression models, TMS was best explained by negative relationships with food chain length, climate-productivity gradient, catchment properties, and elemental C:N ratio of the top predator (full model R2 = 0.90, p < 0.001). The model examining variation in THg baseline values included the same variables with positive relationships (R2 = 0.69, p = 0.014). Mass-standardized THg content of a common top predator (1 kg northern pike, Esox lucius) increased towards warmer and more productive lakes. Results indicate that increasing eutrophication via forestry-related land-use activities increase the THg levels at the base of the food web and in top predators, suggesting that the sources of nutrients and mercury should be considered in future bioaccumulation and biomagnification studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Kozak
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, Anne Evenstad veg 80, 2480 Koppang, Norway.
| | - Salla A Ahonen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Ossi Keva
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Kjartan Østbye
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, Anne Evenstad veg 80, 2480 Koppang, Norway; Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sami J Taipale
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Brian Hayden
- Biology Department, Canadian Rivers Institute, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Kimmo K Kahilainen
- Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Pääjärventie 320, 16900 Lammi, Finland; Kilpisjärvi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Käsivarrentie 14622, 99490 Kilpisjärvi, Finland
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12
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Vieira HC, Bordalo MD, Rodrigues ACM, Pires SFS, Rocha RJM, Soares AMVM, Rendón-von Osten J, Abreu SN, Morgado F. Water temperature modulates mercury accumulation and oxidative stress status of common goby (Pomatoschistus microps). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 193:110585. [PMID: 33309824 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a widespread pollutant across estuarine and coastal areas, raising concern on its potential impact on aquatic organisms. Hg may origin from natural and anthropogenic sources, being persistent and potentially toxic to biota, ultimately representing a serious risk to human health. Hg accumulation and toxicity may also induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in marine organisms, responsible for cell and tissue damage. Additionally, the temperature is undoubtedly an important environmental factor to consider regarding accumulation, due to its marked influence on the physiology and ecology of aquatic organisms. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different temperature scenarios (15, 20 and 25 °C) on the Hg accumulation in Pomatoschistus microps (Krøyer, 1838) liver and muscle, as well as on oxidative stress responses and energy metabolism, after short-term exposure to a naturally contaminated sediment with an environmentally relevant [Hg] (1.2 μg g-1). The results showed that Hg accumulation tends to increase along the temperature gradient with higher values of Hg accumulated in liver than in muscle tissue. The action of antioxidant enzymes and stress proteins seems to be effective in combating oxidative stress in the liver. Despite the action of antioxidant defences in the muscle, oxidative damage was observed at the protein level concomitantly with a decrease in aerobic energy production after exposure to Hg at higher temperatures. These findings are ecologically relevant and highlight the importance of further investigation of combined effects of Hg and other stressors, especially in a scenario of a changing climate where events leading to rapid alterations on water parameters are more frequent.
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Affiliation(s)
- H C Vieira
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - M D Bordalo
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - A C M Rodrigues
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - S F S Pires
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - R J M Rocha
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - A M V M Soares
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | | | - S N Abreu
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - F Morgado
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
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13
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Abu Zeid EH, Khalifa BA, Said EN, Arisha AH, Reda RM. Neurobehavioral and immune-toxic impairments induced by organic methyl mercury dietary exposure in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2021; 230:105702. [PMID: 33264694 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2020.105702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Although substantial knowledge of mercury toxicity in fish has been assembled; until now, studies investigating the toxic impacts in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) following dietary exposure to organic methyl mercury (MeHg) are less prolific. Accordingly, the current study aimed to evaluate the impacts of MeHg on neurobehavioral and immune integrity in Nile tilapia after dietary exposure. Two hundred and twenty-five juvenile Nile tilapia (19.99 ± 0.33 g) were allocated into five groups in triplicates (15 fish/replicate). G1, G2, G3, G4, and G5. O. niloticus were fed corresponding basal diets containing 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 mg/kg diet MeHg chloride (MeHgCl) daily for 30 days, zero value represented the control G1 group. The results showed that MeHg induced significant alterations in O. niloticus behavior, the swimming behavior was significantly decreased, while scratching, biting, and fin tugging behaviors were significantly augmented. Moreover; chasing, mouth pushing, and butting behaviors were significantly increased in all the exposed groups. MeHg significantly decreased brain acetylcholine esterase (AChE) and serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels in all the exposed groups. Meanwhile, serum levels of lysozyme (LYZ), nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PCO), and 8 hydroxy 2 deoxyguanosine (8OH2dG) were significantly elevated in all the exposed groups except for serum reduced glutathione (GSH) content was significantly decreased implying oxidative stress (OS), lipid peroxidation (LPO), protein, DNA damage and impaired immune response of the exposed tilapia. MeHg significantly altered transcriptional expression of immune-related genes including (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8, and IL-10) in all the exposed groups. From the obtained outcomes, the present research is the premier to investigate that dietary MeHg exposure in O. niloticus significantly induced neurobehavioral and immune defense impairments in a dose-related manner. This study exhibits that dietary MeHg may pose a potential threat to the O. niloticus populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan H Abu Zeid
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, El-Sharkia Province Zagazig 44511, Egypt.
| | - Bouthaina A Khalifa
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo 12211, Egypt
| | - Enas N Said
- Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt
| | - Ahmed H Arisha
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt; Department of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Rasha M Reda
- Department of Fish Diseases and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt
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14
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Keva O, Taipale SJ, Hayden B, Thomas SM, Vesterinen J, Kankaala P, Kahilainen KK. Increasing temperature and productivity change biomass, trophic pyramids and community-level omega-3 fatty acid content in subarctic lake food webs. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:282-296. [PMID: 33124178 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Climate change in the Arctic is outpacing the global average and land-use is intensifying due to exploitation of previously inaccessible or unprofitable natural resources. A comprehensive understanding of how the joint effects of changing climate and productivity modify lake food web structure, biomass, trophic pyramid shape and abundance of physiologically essential biomolecules (omega-3 fatty acids) in the biotic community is lacking. We conducted a space-for-time study in 20 subarctic lakes spanning a climatic (+3.2°C and precipitation: +30%) and chemical (dissolved organic carbon: +10 mg/L, total phosphorus: +45 µg/L and total nitrogen: +1,000 µg/L) gradient to test how temperature and productivity jointly affect the structure, biomass and community fatty acid content (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) of whole food webs. Increasing temperature and productivity shifted lake communities towards dominance of warmer, murky-water-adapted taxa, with a general increase in the biomass of primary producers, and secondary and tertiary consumers, while primary invertebrate consumers did not show equally clear trends. This process altered various trophic pyramid structures towards an hour glass shape in the warmest and most productive lakes. Increasing temperature and productivity had negative fatty acid content trends (mg EPA + DHA/g dry weight) in primary producers and primary consumers, but not in secondary nor tertiary fish consumers. The massive biomass increment of fish led to increasing areal fatty acid content (kg EPA + DHA/ha) towards increasingly warmer, more productive lakes, but there were no significant trends in other trophic levels. Increasing temperature and productivity are shifting subarctic lake communities towards systems characterized by increasing dominance of cyanobacteria and cyprinid fish, although decreasing quality in terms of EPA + DHA content was observed only in phytoplankton, zooplankton and profundal benthos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ossi Keva
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Sami J Taipale
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Brian Hayden
- Biology Department, Canadian Rivers Institute, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada
| | - Stephen M Thomas
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Crowther Lab, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Fish Ecology and Evolution, Center of Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | - Jussi Vesterinen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Paula Kankaala
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Kimmo K Kahilainen
- Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Lammi, Finland
- Kilpisjärvi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Kilpisjärvi, Finland
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15
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Burke SM, Zimmerman CE, Laske SM, Koch JC, Derry AM, Guernon S, Branfireun BA, Swanson HK. Fish growth rates and lake sulphate explain variation in mercury levels in ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 743:140564. [PMID: 32758814 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mercury concentrations in freshwater food webs are governed by complex biogeochemical and ecological interactions that spatially vary and are often mediated by climate. The Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska (ACP) is a heterogeneous, lake-rich landscape where variability in mercury accumulation is poorly understood. Earlier research indicated that the level of catchment influence on lakes varied spatially on the ACP, and affected mercury accumulation in lake sediments. This work sought to determine drivers of spatial variation in mercury accumulation in lake food webs on the ACP. Three lakes that were a priori identified as "high catchment influence" (Reindeer Camp region) and three lakes that were a priori identified as "low catchment influence" (Atqasuk region) were sampled, and variability in water chemistry, food web ecology, and mercury accumulation was investigated. Among-lake differences in ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) length-adjusted methylmercury concentrations were significantly explained by sulphate concentration in lake water, a tracer of catchment runoff input. This effect was mediated by fish growth, which had no pattern between regions. Together, lake water sulphate concentration and fish age-at-size (proxy for growth) accounted for nearly all of the among-lake variability in length-adjusted methylmercury concentrations in stickleback (R2adj = 0.94, p < 0.01). The percentage of total mercury as methylmercury (a proxy for net Hg methylation) was higher in sediments of more autochthonous, "low catchment influence" lakes (p < 0.05), and in the periphyton of more allochthonous, "high catchment influence" lakes (p < 0.05). The results indicate that dominant sources of primary production (littoral macrophyte/biofilm vs. pelagic phytoplankton) and food web structure (detrital vs. grazing) are regulated by catchment characteristics on the ACP, and that this ultimately influences the amount of methylmercury in the aquatic food web. These results have important implications for predicting future mercury concentrations in fish in lakes where fish growth rates and catchment inputs may change in response to a changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Burke
- Department of Biology and Water Institute, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada.
| | - C E Zimmerman
- U. S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - S M Laske
- U. S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - J C Koch
- U. S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - A M Derry
- Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), P.O. Box 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - S Guernon
- Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), P.O. Box 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - B A Branfireun
- Western University, Department of Biological Sciences, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - H K Swanson
- Department of Biology and Water Institute, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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16
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Influence of Thermal Pollution on the Physiological Conditions and Bioaccumulation of Metals, Metalloids, and Trace Metals in Whitefish ( Coregonus lavaretus L.). Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21124343. [PMID: 32570801 PMCID: PMC7352667 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Kola nuclear power plant, which discharges warm water into one of the bays of subarctic Lake Imandra, significantly changes fish habitats. The temperature gradient of the lake is between 2 and 8 °C, which makes it significantly different from the natural temperature of the lake water. The stenothermal cold-water native species (lake whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus L.)), living for more than 40 years under conditions of thermal pollution, has adapted to this stressor. Moreover, this population differs favorably from the population in the natural-temperature environment in terms of its physiological state. Firstly, the hemoglobin concentrations in the fish blood are in the range of the ecological optimum, and secondly, it has a higher somatic growth, as estimated by Fulton’s condition factor. One of its main adaptive mechanisms of ion regulation is an intense metabolism of Na due to the high respiratory activity of the whitefish in warmer water. An increased accumulation of Rb and excretion of Se, Mo, and Si are associated more or less with that feature. Under conditions of an increased water temperature, the main metabolic need is due to a deficiency of Se in fish. The intensive metabolism of selenoproteins may involve risks of toxic effects and the bioaccumulation of Hg, As, and Cu in cases of increased existing stressors or the appearance of new ones.
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17
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Braaten HFV, Lindholm M, de Wit HA. Five decades of declining methylmercury concentrations in boreal foodwebs suggest pivotal role for sulphate deposition. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 714:136774. [PMID: 31982764 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136774] [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: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Widespread declines in mercury (Hg) in fish in pristine lakes in Fennoscandia since the 1970s are unexplained. Interactions between climate, atmospheric deposition, and elemental cycling of carbon (C), sulphur (S) and Hg are complex and affect Hg bioaccumulation. A parallel significant decline in methyl-Hg (MeHg) concentrations in aquatic macroinvertebrates (Chironomidae) was found between 1976-78 and 2004-15 in an intensely studied, pristine boreal lake (Langtjern, boreal Fennoscandia). Monitoring at Langtjern demonstrated a four-fold decrease in aqueous sulphate concentrations (SO4, 50-year record), significant lake browning (30-year records), increasing sediment Hg concentrations (50-year record), warming (45-year record) and increased runoff (40-year record). Contrasting Hg trends in biota (downward) and sediment (upward) indicated a disconnect between lake Hg loading and foodweb Hg bioaccumulation. We suggest that reduced SO4-deposition has 1) constrained substrate availability for SO4-reducing methylating bacteria (causing reduced foodweb MeHg exposure despite increased Hg loading to the lake), and 2), increased the binding affinity between aqueous organic matter and Hg species (leading to reduced MeHg bioavailability). The downward MeHg trend at the base of the foodweb at Langtjern is mirrored at higher trophic levels by strong declines in perch (Perca fluviatilis) and pike (Esox lucius) Hg concentrations in boreal Fennoscandia. A plausible explanation is that declining SO4-deposition, rather than climate change or reduced atmospheric Hg, is currently driving reduced MeHg contamination in northern freshwater foodwebs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Markus Lindholm
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Norway; Rudolf Steiner University College, Oslo, Norway
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18
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Mercury Bioaccumulation in Lacustrine Fish Populations Along a Climatic Gradient in Northern Ontario, Canada. Ecosystems 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-019-00464-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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19
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Braaten HFV, Åkerblom S, Kahilainen KK, Rask M, Vuorenmaa J, Mannio J, Malinen T, Lydersen E, Poste AE, Amundsen PA, Kashulin N, Kashulina T, Terentyev P, Christensen G, de Wit HA. Improved Environmental Status: 50 Years of Declining Fish Mercury Levels in Boreal and Subarctic Fennoscandia. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:1834-1843. [PMID: 30636402 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b06399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Temporally (1965-2015) and spatially (55°-70°N) extensive records of total mercury (Hg) in freshwater fish showed consistent declines in boreal and subarctic Fennoscandia. The database contains 54 560 fish entries ( n: pike > perch ≫ brown trout > roach ≈ Arctic charr) from 3132 lakes across Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Russian Murmansk area. 74% of the lakes did not meet the 0.5 ppm limit to protect human health. However, after 2000 only 25% of the lakes exceeded this level, indicating improved environmental status. In lakes where local pollution sources were identified, pike and perch Hg concentrations were significantly higher between 1965 and 1990 compared to values after 1995, likely an effect of implemented reduction measures. In lakes where Hg originated from long-range transboundary air pollution (LRTAP), consistent Hg declines (3-7‰ per year) were found for perch and pike in both boreal and subarctic Fennoscandia, suggesting common environmental controls. Hg in perch and pike in LRTAP lakes showed minimal declines with latitude, suggesting that drivers affected by temperature, such as growth dilution, counteracted Hg loading and food web exposure. We recommend that future fish Hg monitoring sampling design should include repeated sampling and collection of pollution history, water chemistry, fish age, and stable isotopes to enable evaluation of emission reduction policies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Staffan Åkerblom
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) , 750 07 Uppsala , Sweden
| | - Kimmo K Kahilainen
- Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN) , NO-2480 Koppang , Norway
- University of Helsinki (UH) , FI-00100 Helsinki , Finland
| | - Martti Rask
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) , FI-00790 Helsinki , Finland
| | - Jussi Vuorenmaa
- Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) , FI-00790 Helsinki , Finland
| | - Jaakko Mannio
- Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) , FI-00790 Helsinki , Finland
| | - Tommi Malinen
- University of Helsinki (UH) , FI-00100 Helsinki , Finland
| | - Espen Lydersen
- University of South-Eastern Norway (USN) , NO-3679 Notodden , Norway
| | - Amanda E Poste
- The Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) , NO-0349 Oslo , Norway
| | | | - Nicholas Kashulin
- Institute of the Industrial Ecology Problems of the North (INEP) , Apatity , 184209 Murmansk , Russian Federation
| | - Tatiana Kashulina
- Institute of the Industrial Ecology Problems of the North (INEP) , Apatity , 184209 Murmansk , Russian Federation
| | - Petr Terentyev
- Institute of the Industrial Ecology Problems of the North (INEP) , Apatity , 184209 Murmansk , Russian Federation
| | | | - Heleen A de Wit
- The Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) , NO-0349 Oslo , Norway
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20
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Nogara PA, Oliveira CS, Schmitz GL, Piquini PC, Farina M, Aschner M, Rocha JBT. Methylmercury's chemistry: From the environment to the mammalian brain. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2019; 1863:129284. [PMID: 30659885 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2019.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury is a neurotoxicant that is found in fish and rice. MeHg's toxicity is mediated by blockage of -SH and -SeH groups of proteins. However, the identification of MeHg's targets is elusive. Here we focus on the chemistry of MeHg in the abiotic and biotic environment. The toxicological chemistry of MeHg is complex in metazoans, but at the atomic level it can be explained by exchange reactions of MeHg bound to -S(e)H with another free -S(e)H group (R1S(e)-HgMe + R2-S(e)H ↔ R1S(e)H + R2-S(e)-HgMe). This reaction was first studied by professor Rabenstein and here it is referred as the "Rabenstein's Reaction". The absorption, distribution, and excretion of MeHg in the environment and in the body of animals will be dictated by Rabenstein's reactions. The affinity of MeHg by thiol and selenol groups and the exchange of MeHg by Rabenstein's Reaction (which is a diffusion controlled reaction) dictates MeHg's neurotoxicity. However, it is important to emphasize that the MeHg exchange reaction velocity with different types of thiol- and selenol-containing proteins will also depend on protein-specific structural and thermodynamical factors. New experimental approaches and detailed studies about the Rabenstein's reaction between MeHg with low molecular mass thiol (LMM-SH) molecules (cysteine, GSH, acetyl-CoA, lipoate, homocysteine) with abundant high molecular mass thiol (HMM-SH) molecules (albumin, hemoglobin) and HMM-SeH (GPxs, Selenoprotein P, TrxR1-3) are needed. The study of MeHg migration from -S(e)-Hg- bonds to free -S(e)H groups (Rabenstein's Reaction) in pure chemical systems and neural cells (with special emphasis to the LMM-SH and HMM-S(e)H molecules cited above) will be critical to developing realistic constants to be used in silico models that will predict the distribution of MeHg in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo A Nogara
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Cláudia S Oliveira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Gabriela L Schmitz
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Paulo C Piquini
- Departamento de Física, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Farina
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - João B T Rocha
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
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Angot H, Hoffman N, Giang A, Thackray CP, Hendricks AN, Urban NR, Selin NE. Global and Local Impacts of Delayed Mercury Mitigation Efforts. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:12968-12977. [PMID: 30376303 PMCID: PMC6377800 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b04542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is emitted to air by natural and anthropogenic sources, transports and deposits globally, and bioaccumulates to toxic levels in food webs. It is addressed under the global 2017 Minamata Convention, for which periodic effectiveness evaluation is required. Previous analyses have estimated the impact of different regulatory strategies for future mercury deposition. However, analyses using atmospheric models traditionally hold legacy emissions (recycling of previously deposited Hg) constant, and do not account for their possible future growth. Here, using an integrated modeling approach, we investigate how delays in implementing emissions reductions and the associated growing legacy reservoir affect deposition fluxes to ecosystems in different global regions. Assuming nearly constant yearly emissions relative to 2010, each 5-year delay in peak emissions defers by additional extra ca. 4 years the return to year 2010 global deposition. On a global average, each 5-year delay leads to a 14% decrease in policy impacts on local-scale Hg deposition. We also investigate the response of fish contamination in remote lakes to delayed action. We quantify the consequences of delay for limiting the Hg burden of future generations and show that traditional analyses of policy impacts provide best-case estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Angot
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , United States
| | - Nicholas Hoffman
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , United States
| | - Amanda Giang
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , United States
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability , University of British Columbia , Vancouver , British Columbia Canada V6T 1Z4
| | - Colin P Thackray
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences , Harvard University , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02138 , United States
| | - Ashley N Hendricks
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department , Michigan Technological University , Houghton , Michigan 49931 , United States
| | - Noel R Urban
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department , Michigan Technological University , Houghton , Michigan 49931 , United States
| | - Noelle E Selin
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , United States
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , United States
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