Trace element concentrations in blood of free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus): influence of age, sex and location

• Published in: Marine Pollution Bulletin
• Main Authors: Stavros, H.W., Bossart, G., Hulsey, T.C., Fair, P.A.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd. 2007
• Subjects: Marine mammals > Effects of water pollution on; Bottlenose dolphin > Research > United States; Trace elements > Toxicology; Mercury > Bioaccumulation; Phoca hispida; Phocoena phocoena
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.10.030; http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=2708406

Marine mammals serve as good indicators for contaminants accumulation because of their long life span and their place within higher trophic levels (Bossart, 2006; Veinott and Sjare, 2006). A recent review of ecosystem responses to mercury contamination suggested that some marine mammals, such as ringed seals (Phoca hispida) and harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) would be potentially good indicators of changing mercury loadings in the coastal environments (Wolfe et al., 2007). These species were selected as indicators based on a combination of criteria that include well-characterized life history; capacity for bioconcentrating and accumulating contaminants of concern; common species in the environment; geographically widespread; sensitive and hence indicative of change; easily collected and measured; adequate size to permit resampling of tissue; occurrence in both polluted and unpolluted areas;display correlation with environmental levels of contaminants;and have background data on the natural condition(Jenkins, 1981). This is the author's version of a work accepted for publication by Elsevier. Changes resulting from the publishing process, including peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting and other quality control mechanisms, may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was published at www.sciencedirect.com and may be cited as: Stavros, H.W., Bossart, G.D., Hulsey, T.C. and Fair, P.A (2008) Trace Element Concentrations in blood of free‐ranging bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncates): Influence of age, sex and location 56(2):371‐379 DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.10.030 Florida Atlantic University. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute contribution #1690.