Supplementary material from "Foraging and fasting can influence contaminant concentrations in animals: an example with mercury contamination in a free-ranging marine mammal" ...

• Main Authors: H. Peterson, Sarah, Ackerman, Joshua T., E. Crocker, Daniel, P. Costa, Daniel
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: The Royal Society 2018
• Subjects: Elephant Seals
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3980853; https://rs.figshare.com/collections/Supplementary_material_from_Foraging_and_fasting_can_influence_contaminant_concentrations_in_animals_an_example_with_mercury_contamination_in_a_free-ranging_marine_mammal_/3980853

Large fluctuations in animal body mass in relation to life-history events can influence contaminant concentrations and toxicological risk. We quantified mercury concentrations in adult northern elephant seals ( Mirounga angustirostris ) before and after lengthy at sea foraging trips ( n = 89) or fasting periods on land ( n = 27), and showed that mercury concentrations in blood and muscle changed in response to these events. The highest blood mercury concentrations were observed after the breeding fast, whereas the highest muscle mercury concentrations were observed when seals returned to land to moult. Mean female blood mercury concentrations decreased by 30% across each of the two annual foraging trips, demonstrating a foraging-associated dilution of mercury concentrations as seals gained mass. Blood mercury concentrations increased by 103% and 24% across the breeding and moulting fasts, respectively, demonstrating a fasting-associated concentration of mercury as seals lost mass. In contrast to blood, ...