Biomagnification and bioaccumulation of mercury in an arctic marine food web: insights from stable nitrogen isotope analysis
Several recent studies have shown that the use of delta 15 N analysis to characterize trophic relationships can be useful for tracing biocontaminants in food webs. In this study, concentration of total mercury was measured in tissues from 112 individuals representing 27 species from the arctic marin...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences |
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Canadian Science Publishing
1998
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f98-001 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f98-001 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/f98-001 2024-06-23T07:49:51+00:00 Biomagnification and bioaccumulation of mercury in an arctic marine food web: insights from stable nitrogen isotope analysis Atwell, Lisa Hobson, Keith A Welch, Harold E 1998 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f98-001 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f98-001 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences volume 55, issue 5, page 1114-1121 ISSN 0706-652X 1205-7533 journal-article 1998 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/f98-001 2024-06-13T04:10:49Z Several recent studies have shown that the use of delta 15 N analysis to characterize trophic relationships can be useful for tracing biocontaminants in food webs. In this study, concentration of total mercury was measured in tissues from 112 individuals representing 27 species from the arctic marine food web of Lancaster Sound, Northwest Territories. Samples ranged from particulate organic matter through polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Using delta 15 N values to identify trophic position, we found that total mercury in muscle tissue biomagnified in this food web. Polar bears were a notable exception, having a lower mean mercury concentration than their main prey, ringed seals (Phoca hispida). Most vertebrates showed greater variance in mercury concentration than invertebrates, and there was a trend in seabirds toward increased variability in mercury concentration with trophic position. Within species, we found no evidence of bioaccumulation of mercury with age in the muscle tissue of clams (Mya truncata) or ringed seals. Because stable nitrogen isotopes illustrated the relationship in this biome between trophic position and mercury level on a continuous, quantitative scale, we were able to determine that log 10 [Hg] ( µg/g dry weight) = 0.2( delta 15 N) - 3.3. The measurement of delta 15 N values and mercury concentration allowed us to quantitatively assess mercury biomagnification within this extensive arctic marine food web. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Lancaster Sound Northwest Territories Phoca hispida Ursus maritimus Canadian Science Publishing Arctic Lancaster Sound ENVELOPE(-83.999,-83.999,74.218,74.218) Northwest Territories Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 55 5 1114 1121 |
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Open Polar |
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Canadian Science Publishing |
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crcansciencepubl |
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English |
description |
Several recent studies have shown that the use of delta 15 N analysis to characterize trophic relationships can be useful for tracing biocontaminants in food webs. In this study, concentration of total mercury was measured in tissues from 112 individuals representing 27 species from the arctic marine food web of Lancaster Sound, Northwest Territories. Samples ranged from particulate organic matter through polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Using delta 15 N values to identify trophic position, we found that total mercury in muscle tissue biomagnified in this food web. Polar bears were a notable exception, having a lower mean mercury concentration than their main prey, ringed seals (Phoca hispida). Most vertebrates showed greater variance in mercury concentration than invertebrates, and there was a trend in seabirds toward increased variability in mercury concentration with trophic position. Within species, we found no evidence of bioaccumulation of mercury with age in the muscle tissue of clams (Mya truncata) or ringed seals. Because stable nitrogen isotopes illustrated the relationship in this biome between trophic position and mercury level on a continuous, quantitative scale, we were able to determine that log 10 [Hg] ( µg/g dry weight) = 0.2( delta 15 N) - 3.3. The measurement of delta 15 N values and mercury concentration allowed us to quantitatively assess mercury biomagnification within this extensive arctic marine food web. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Atwell, Lisa Hobson, Keith A Welch, Harold E |
spellingShingle |
Atwell, Lisa Hobson, Keith A Welch, Harold E Biomagnification and bioaccumulation of mercury in an arctic marine food web: insights from stable nitrogen isotope analysis |
author_facet |
Atwell, Lisa Hobson, Keith A Welch, Harold E |
author_sort |
Atwell, Lisa |
title |
Biomagnification and bioaccumulation of mercury in an arctic marine food web: insights from stable nitrogen isotope analysis |
title_short |
Biomagnification and bioaccumulation of mercury in an arctic marine food web: insights from stable nitrogen isotope analysis |
title_full |
Biomagnification and bioaccumulation of mercury in an arctic marine food web: insights from stable nitrogen isotope analysis |
title_fullStr |
Biomagnification and bioaccumulation of mercury in an arctic marine food web: insights from stable nitrogen isotope analysis |
title_full_unstemmed |
Biomagnification and bioaccumulation of mercury in an arctic marine food web: insights from stable nitrogen isotope analysis |
title_sort |
biomagnification and bioaccumulation of mercury in an arctic marine food web: insights from stable nitrogen isotope analysis |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1998 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f98-001 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f98-001 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-83.999,-83.999,74.218,74.218) |
geographic |
Arctic Lancaster Sound Northwest Territories |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Lancaster Sound Northwest Territories |
genre |
Arctic Lancaster Sound Northwest Territories Phoca hispida Ursus maritimus |
genre_facet |
Arctic Lancaster Sound Northwest Territories Phoca hispida Ursus maritimus |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences volume 55, issue 5, page 1114-1121 ISSN 0706-652X 1205-7533 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/f98-001 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences |
container_volume |
55 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
1114 |
op_container_end_page |
1121 |
_version_ |
1802640535413850112 |