Mercury accumulation in gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua: spatial, temporal and sexual intraspecific variations
Mercury emissions have increased over the past decades affecting even remote areas such as Antarctica. As gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) breed on many of the islands surrounding Antarctica, foraging close to their colonies, their mercury load should reflect concentrations in the region. We there...
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ftria:oai:ria.ua.pt:10773/17277 2023-05-15T13:47:51+02:00 Mercury accumulation in gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua: spatial, temporal and sexual intraspecific variations Pedro, Sara Xavier, José C. Tavares, Sílvia Trathan, Phil N. Ratcliffe, Norman Paiva, Vitor H. Medeiros, Renata Vieira, Rui P. Ceia, Filipe R. Pereira, Eduarda Pardal, Miguel A. 2015 http://hdl.handle.net/10773/17277 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-015-1697-9 eng eng Springer FCT - SFRH/BPD/95372/2013) 0722-4060 http://hdl.handle.net/10773/17277 doi:10.1007/s00300-015-1697-9 restrictedAccess Mercury Trophic level Stable isotopes Antarctica article 2015 ftria https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-015-1697-9 2022-05-25T18:35:15Z Mercury emissions have increased over the past decades affecting even remote areas such as Antarctica. As gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) breed on many of the islands surrounding Antarctica, foraging close to their colonies, their mercury load should reflect concentrations in the region. We therefore evaluated mercury concentrations in adult gentoo penguin feathers at Bird Island, South Georgia. We found no significant differences in mercury levels between 2009 and 2010 (mean ± SD 0.97 ± 0.67 mg kg-1, mean ± SD 1.13 ± 0.62 mg kg-1, respectively). Stable nitrogen isotope values in feathers indicated that feeding habits had a stronger influence on male mercury concentrations, whereas stable carbon isotope values indicated that foraging habitat had a stronger influence on females. Though no temporal variation in levels of mercury in gentoo penguin feathers was observed, spatial differences were evident when compared with previous studies. Our results could have implications for other animals higher in the food web that prey upon gentoo penguins, with potential consequential effects on their reproduction and development. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica Bird Island Gentoo penguin Pygoscelis papua Repositório Institucional da Universidade de Aveiro (RIA) Bird Island ENVELOPE(-38.060,-38.060,-54.004,-54.004) Polar Biology 38 9 1335 1343 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Repositório Institucional da Universidade de Aveiro (RIA) |
op_collection_id |
ftria |
language |
English |
topic |
Mercury Trophic level Stable isotopes Antarctica |
spellingShingle |
Mercury Trophic level Stable isotopes Antarctica Pedro, Sara Xavier, José C. Tavares, Sílvia Trathan, Phil N. Ratcliffe, Norman Paiva, Vitor H. Medeiros, Renata Vieira, Rui P. Ceia, Filipe R. Pereira, Eduarda Pardal, Miguel A. Mercury accumulation in gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua: spatial, temporal and sexual intraspecific variations |
topic_facet |
Mercury Trophic level Stable isotopes Antarctica |
description |
Mercury emissions have increased over the past decades affecting even remote areas such as Antarctica. As gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) breed on many of the islands surrounding Antarctica, foraging close to their colonies, their mercury load should reflect concentrations in the region. We therefore evaluated mercury concentrations in adult gentoo penguin feathers at Bird Island, South Georgia. We found no significant differences in mercury levels between 2009 and 2010 (mean ± SD 0.97 ± 0.67 mg kg-1, mean ± SD 1.13 ± 0.62 mg kg-1, respectively). Stable nitrogen isotope values in feathers indicated that feeding habits had a stronger influence on male mercury concentrations, whereas stable carbon isotope values indicated that foraging habitat had a stronger influence on females. Though no temporal variation in levels of mercury in gentoo penguin feathers was observed, spatial differences were evident when compared with previous studies. Our results could have implications for other animals higher in the food web that prey upon gentoo penguins, with potential consequential effects on their reproduction and development. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Pedro, Sara Xavier, José C. Tavares, Sílvia Trathan, Phil N. Ratcliffe, Norman Paiva, Vitor H. Medeiros, Renata Vieira, Rui P. Ceia, Filipe R. Pereira, Eduarda Pardal, Miguel A. |
author_facet |
Pedro, Sara Xavier, José C. Tavares, Sílvia Trathan, Phil N. Ratcliffe, Norman Paiva, Vitor H. Medeiros, Renata Vieira, Rui P. Ceia, Filipe R. Pereira, Eduarda Pardal, Miguel A. |
author_sort |
Pedro, Sara |
title |
Mercury accumulation in gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua: spatial, temporal and sexual intraspecific variations |
title_short |
Mercury accumulation in gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua: spatial, temporal and sexual intraspecific variations |
title_full |
Mercury accumulation in gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua: spatial, temporal and sexual intraspecific variations |
title_fullStr |
Mercury accumulation in gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua: spatial, temporal and sexual intraspecific variations |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mercury accumulation in gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua: spatial, temporal and sexual intraspecific variations |
title_sort |
mercury accumulation in gentoo penguins pygoscelis papua: spatial, temporal and sexual intraspecific variations |
publisher |
Springer |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10773/17277 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-015-1697-9 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-38.060,-38.060,-54.004,-54.004) |
geographic |
Bird Island |
geographic_facet |
Bird Island |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica Bird Island Gentoo penguin Pygoscelis papua |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica Bird Island Gentoo penguin Pygoscelis papua |
op_relation |
FCT - SFRH/BPD/95372/2013) 0722-4060 http://hdl.handle.net/10773/17277 doi:10.1007/s00300-015-1697-9 |
op_rights |
restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-015-1697-9 |
container_title |
Polar Biology |
container_volume |
38 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
1335 |
op_container_end_page |
1343 |
_version_ |
1766247944861777920 |