Methylmercury production and export across the terrestrial-aquatic continuum in permafrost peatland catchments ...
Ongoing permafrost thaw in northern peatland catchments may increase the production and downstream delivery of neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg) across the terrestrial-aquatic continuum. Peatlands in boreal-Arctic regions have large stocks of mercury (Hg) in frozen soils, accumulated through atmospher...
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University of Alberta Library
2023
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| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.7939/r3-2py0-wb68 https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/bb367a9b-9409-4c0b-8a26-a0530c9d80b4 |
| Summary: | Ongoing permafrost thaw in northern peatland catchments may increase the production and downstream delivery of neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg) across the terrestrial-aquatic continuum. Peatlands in boreal-Arctic regions have large stocks of mercury (Hg) in frozen soils, accumulated through atmospheric deposition of natural and human-emitted Hg over thousands of years. Permafrost thaw in peatlands often leads to land surface collapse (thermokarst), which may shift environmental conditions to facilitate microbial production of MeHg (methylation). However, the degree to which Hg is methylated post-thaw and exported downstream remains uncertain in northwestern Canada and poses a potential hazard for uptake by aquatic food webs. I initiated three field studies examining MeHg cycling throughout the peatland-rich Interior Plains of boreal western Canada – 1) examining how peatland and permafrost extent influenced MeHg concentrations through a synoptic sampling of lakes and streams, 2) determining how discharge and ... |
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