Variation in blood mercury concentrations in brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) is related to trophic ecology but not breeding success or adult body condition
Mercury is a pervasive environmental contaminant that can negatively impact seabirds. Here, we measure total mercury (THg) concentrations in red blood cells (RBCs) from breeding brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) (n = 49) at Esperanza/Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula. The aims of this study were to...
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ftuglasgow:oai:eprints.gla.ac.uk:274495 2023-05-15T13:52:11+02:00 Variation in blood mercury concentrations in brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) is related to trophic ecology but not breeding success or adult body condition Ibanez, A.E. Mills, W.F. Bustamante, P. McGill, Rona A.R. Morales, L.M. Palacio, F.X. Torres, D.S. Haidr, N.S. Mariano-Jelicich, R. Phillips, R.A. Montalti, D. 2022-07-08 http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/274495/ unknown Elsevier Ibanez, A.E. et al. (2022) Variation in blood mercury concentrations in brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) is related to trophic ecology but not breeding success or adult body condition. Marine Pollution Bulletin <http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/view/journal_volume/Marine_Pollution_Bulletin.html>, 181, 113919. (doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113919 <https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113919>) (PMID:35816822) Articles PeerReviewed 2022 ftuglasgow https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113919 2022-08-04T22:21:00Z Mercury is a pervasive environmental contaminant that can negatively impact seabirds. Here, we measure total mercury (THg) concentrations in red blood cells (RBCs) from breeding brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) (n = 49) at Esperanza/Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula. The aims of this study were to: (i) analyse RBCs THg concentrations in relation to sex, year and stable isotope values of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N); and (ii) examine correlations between THg, body condition and breeding success. RBC THg concentrations were positively correlated with δ15N, which is a proxy of trophic position, and hence likely reflects the biomagnification process. Levels of Hg contamination differed between our study years, which is likely related to changes in diet and distribution. RBC THg concentrations were not related to body condition or breeding success, suggesting that Hg contamination is currently not a major conservation concern for this population. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula antarcticus Stercorarius antarcticus University of Glasgow: Enlighten - Publications Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Esperanza ENVELOPE(-56.983,-56.983,-63.400,-63.400) Hope Bay ENVELOPE(-57.038,-57.038,-63.403,-63.403) Marine Pollution Bulletin 181 113919 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Glasgow: Enlighten - Publications |
op_collection_id |
ftuglasgow |
language |
unknown |
description |
Mercury is a pervasive environmental contaminant that can negatively impact seabirds. Here, we measure total mercury (THg) concentrations in red blood cells (RBCs) from breeding brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) (n = 49) at Esperanza/Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula. The aims of this study were to: (i) analyse RBCs THg concentrations in relation to sex, year and stable isotope values of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N); and (ii) examine correlations between THg, body condition and breeding success. RBC THg concentrations were positively correlated with δ15N, which is a proxy of trophic position, and hence likely reflects the biomagnification process. Levels of Hg contamination differed between our study years, which is likely related to changes in diet and distribution. RBC THg concentrations were not related to body condition or breeding success, suggesting that Hg contamination is currently not a major conservation concern for this population. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ibanez, A.E. Mills, W.F. Bustamante, P. McGill, Rona A.R. Morales, L.M. Palacio, F.X. Torres, D.S. Haidr, N.S. Mariano-Jelicich, R. Phillips, R.A. Montalti, D. |
spellingShingle |
Ibanez, A.E. Mills, W.F. Bustamante, P. McGill, Rona A.R. Morales, L.M. Palacio, F.X. Torres, D.S. Haidr, N.S. Mariano-Jelicich, R. Phillips, R.A. Montalti, D. Variation in blood mercury concentrations in brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) is related to trophic ecology but not breeding success or adult body condition |
author_facet |
Ibanez, A.E. Mills, W.F. Bustamante, P. McGill, Rona A.R. Morales, L.M. Palacio, F.X. Torres, D.S. Haidr, N.S. Mariano-Jelicich, R. Phillips, R.A. Montalti, D. |
author_sort |
Ibanez, A.E. |
title |
Variation in blood mercury concentrations in brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) is related to trophic ecology but not breeding success or adult body condition |
title_short |
Variation in blood mercury concentrations in brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) is related to trophic ecology but not breeding success or adult body condition |
title_full |
Variation in blood mercury concentrations in brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) is related to trophic ecology but not breeding success or adult body condition |
title_fullStr |
Variation in blood mercury concentrations in brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) is related to trophic ecology but not breeding success or adult body condition |
title_full_unstemmed |
Variation in blood mercury concentrations in brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) is related to trophic ecology but not breeding success or adult body condition |
title_sort |
variation in blood mercury concentrations in brown skuas (stercorarius antarcticus) is related to trophic ecology but not breeding success or adult body condition |
publisher |
Elsevier |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/274495/ |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-56.983,-56.983,-63.400,-63.400) ENVELOPE(-57.038,-57.038,-63.403,-63.403) |
geographic |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Esperanza Hope Bay |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Esperanza Hope Bay |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula antarcticus Stercorarius antarcticus |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula antarcticus Stercorarius antarcticus |
op_relation |
Ibanez, A.E. et al. (2022) Variation in blood mercury concentrations in brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) is related to trophic ecology but not breeding success or adult body condition. Marine Pollution Bulletin <http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/view/journal_volume/Marine_Pollution_Bulletin.html>, 181, 113919. (doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113919 <https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113919>) (PMID:35816822) |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113919 |
container_title |
Marine Pollution Bulletin |
container_volume |
181 |
container_start_page |
113919 |
_version_ |
1766256441724764160 |