BIOMONITORING OF CONTAMINANTS IN BIRDS FROM TWO TROPHIC LEVELS IN THE NORTH PACIFIC
Abstract-The presence and accumulation of persistent contaminants at high latitudes from long-range transport is an important environmental issue. Atmospheric transport has been identified as the source of pollutants in several arctic ecosystems and has the potential to severely impact high-latitude...
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ftciteseerx:oai:CiteSeerX.psu:10.1.1.1053.6210 2023-05-15T13:14:43+02:00 BIOMONITORING OF CONTAMINANTS IN BIRDS FROM TWO TROPHIC LEVELS IN THE NORTH PACIFIC Deborah A Rocque Kevin Winker The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives 2004 application/pdf http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.1053.6210 http://www.kevinwinker.org/RocqueWinker2004.pdf en eng http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.1053.6210 http://www.kevinwinker.org/RocqueWinker2004.pdf Metadata may be used without restrictions as long as the oai identifier remains attached to it. http://www.kevinwinker.org/RocqueWinker2004.pdf text 2004 ftciteseerx 2020-04-12T00:18:30Z Abstract-The presence and accumulation of persistent contaminants at high latitudes from long-range transport is an important environmental issue. Atmospheric transport has been identified as the source of pollutants in several arctic ecosystems and has the potential to severely impact high-latitude populations. Elevated levels of contaminants in Aleutian Island avifauna have been documented, but the great distance from potential industrial sources and the region's complex military history have confounded identification of contaminant origins. We sampled bird species across the natural longitudinal transect of the Aleutian Archipelago to test three contaminant source hypotheses. We detected patterns in some polychlorinated biphenyl congeners and mercury that indicate abandoned military installations as likely local point sources. Carbon isotopes were distinct among island groups, enabling us to rule out transfer through migratory prey species as a contaminant source. The long-range transport hypothesis was supported by significant west-to-east declines in contaminant concentrations for most detected organochlorines and some trace metals. Although relatively low at present, concentrations may increase in Aleutian fauna as Asian industrialization increases and emitted contaminants are atmospherically transported into the region, necessitating continued monitoring in this unique ecosystem. Text Aleutian Island Arctic Unknown Arctic Pacific |
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English |
description |
Abstract-The presence and accumulation of persistent contaminants at high latitudes from long-range transport is an important environmental issue. Atmospheric transport has been identified as the source of pollutants in several arctic ecosystems and has the potential to severely impact high-latitude populations. Elevated levels of contaminants in Aleutian Island avifauna have been documented, but the great distance from potential industrial sources and the region's complex military history have confounded identification of contaminant origins. We sampled bird species across the natural longitudinal transect of the Aleutian Archipelago to test three contaminant source hypotheses. We detected patterns in some polychlorinated biphenyl congeners and mercury that indicate abandoned military installations as likely local point sources. Carbon isotopes were distinct among island groups, enabling us to rule out transfer through migratory prey species as a contaminant source. The long-range transport hypothesis was supported by significant west-to-east declines in contaminant concentrations for most detected organochlorines and some trace metals. Although relatively low at present, concentrations may increase in Aleutian fauna as Asian industrialization increases and emitted contaminants are atmospherically transported into the region, necessitating continued monitoring in this unique ecosystem. |
author2 |
The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives |
format |
Text |
author |
Deborah A Rocque Kevin Winker |
spellingShingle |
Deborah A Rocque Kevin Winker BIOMONITORING OF CONTAMINANTS IN BIRDS FROM TWO TROPHIC LEVELS IN THE NORTH PACIFIC |
author_facet |
Deborah A Rocque Kevin Winker |
author_sort |
Deborah A Rocque |
title |
BIOMONITORING OF CONTAMINANTS IN BIRDS FROM TWO TROPHIC LEVELS IN THE NORTH PACIFIC |
title_short |
BIOMONITORING OF CONTAMINANTS IN BIRDS FROM TWO TROPHIC LEVELS IN THE NORTH PACIFIC |
title_full |
BIOMONITORING OF CONTAMINANTS IN BIRDS FROM TWO TROPHIC LEVELS IN THE NORTH PACIFIC |
title_fullStr |
BIOMONITORING OF CONTAMINANTS IN BIRDS FROM TWO TROPHIC LEVELS IN THE NORTH PACIFIC |
title_full_unstemmed |
BIOMONITORING OF CONTAMINANTS IN BIRDS FROM TWO TROPHIC LEVELS IN THE NORTH PACIFIC |
title_sort |
biomonitoring of contaminants in birds from two trophic levels in the north pacific |
publishDate |
2004 |
url |
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.1053.6210 http://www.kevinwinker.org/RocqueWinker2004.pdf |
geographic |
Arctic Pacific |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Pacific |
genre |
Aleutian Island Arctic |
genre_facet |
Aleutian Island Arctic |
op_source |
http://www.kevinwinker.org/RocqueWinker2004.pdf |
op_relation |
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.1053.6210 http://www.kevinwinker.org/RocqueWinker2004.pdf |
op_rights |
Metadata may be used without restrictions as long as the oai identifier remains attached to it. |
_version_ |
1766265106332647424 |