Mercury concentrations in breast feathers of three upper trophic level marine predators from the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska
Mercury (Hg) is a toxic element distributed globally through atmospheric transport. Agattu Island, located in the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, has no history of point-sources of Hg contamination. We provide baseline levels of total mercury (THg) concentrations in breast feathers of three birds...
Published in: | Marine Pollution Bulletin |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2014
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/b8a720b5-4d85-4b42-ab28-ea2eb82912a4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.02.034 https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0025326X14001398 |
id |
ftuhipublicatio:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/b8a720b5-4d85-4b42-ab28-ea2eb82912a4 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftuhipublicatio:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/b8a720b5-4d85-4b42-ab28-ea2eb82912a4 2024-06-23T07:45:01+00:00 Mercury concentrations in breast feathers of three upper trophic level marine predators from the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska Kaler, Robb S.a. Kenney, Leah A. Bond, Alexander L. Eagles-smith, Collin A. 2014-05-15 https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/b8a720b5-4d85-4b42-ab28-ea2eb82912a4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.02.034 https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0025326X14001398 eng eng https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/b8a720b5-4d85-4b42-ab28-ea2eb82912a4 info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess Kaler , R S A , Kenney , L A , Bond , A L & Eagles-smith , C A 2014 , ' Mercury concentrations in breast feathers of three upper trophic level marine predators from the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska ' , Marine Pollution Bulletin , vol. 82 , no. 1-2 , pp. 189-193 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.02.034 article 2014 ftuhipublicatio https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.02.034 2024-05-27T23:56:27Z Mercury (Hg) is a toxic element distributed globally through atmospheric transport. Agattu Island, located in the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, has no history of point-sources of Hg contamination. We provide baseline levels of total mercury (THg) concentrations in breast feathers of three birds that breed on the island. Geometric mean THg concentrations in feathers of fork-tailed storm-petrels (Oceanodroma furcata; 6703 ± 1635, ng/g fresh weight [fw]) were higher than all other species, including snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus; 2105 ± 1631, ng/g fw), a raptor with a diet composed largely of storm-petrels at Agattu Island. There were no significant differences in mean THg concentrations of breast feathers among adult Kittlitz’s murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris; 1658 ± 1276, ng/g fw) and chicks (1475 ± 671, ng/g fw) and snowy owls. The observed THg concentrations in fork-tailed storm-petrel feathers emphasizes the need for further study of Hg pollution in the western Aleutian Islands. Article in Journal/Newspaper Agattu Bubo scandiacus snowy owl Alaska Aleutian Islands University of the Highlands and Islands: Research Database of UHI Agattu Island ENVELOPE(173.601,173.601,52.435,52.435) Marine Pollution Bulletin 82 1-2 189 193 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of the Highlands and Islands: Research Database of UHI |
op_collection_id |
ftuhipublicatio |
language |
English |
description |
Mercury (Hg) is a toxic element distributed globally through atmospheric transport. Agattu Island, located in the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, has no history of point-sources of Hg contamination. We provide baseline levels of total mercury (THg) concentrations in breast feathers of three birds that breed on the island. Geometric mean THg concentrations in feathers of fork-tailed storm-petrels (Oceanodroma furcata; 6703 ± 1635, ng/g fresh weight [fw]) were higher than all other species, including snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus; 2105 ± 1631, ng/g fw), a raptor with a diet composed largely of storm-petrels at Agattu Island. There were no significant differences in mean THg concentrations of breast feathers among adult Kittlitz’s murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris; 1658 ± 1276, ng/g fw) and chicks (1475 ± 671, ng/g fw) and snowy owls. The observed THg concentrations in fork-tailed storm-petrel feathers emphasizes the need for further study of Hg pollution in the western Aleutian Islands. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kaler, Robb S.a. Kenney, Leah A. Bond, Alexander L. Eagles-smith, Collin A. |
spellingShingle |
Kaler, Robb S.a. Kenney, Leah A. Bond, Alexander L. Eagles-smith, Collin A. Mercury concentrations in breast feathers of three upper trophic level marine predators from the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska |
author_facet |
Kaler, Robb S.a. Kenney, Leah A. Bond, Alexander L. Eagles-smith, Collin A. |
author_sort |
Kaler, Robb S.a. |
title |
Mercury concentrations in breast feathers of three upper trophic level marine predators from the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska |
title_short |
Mercury concentrations in breast feathers of three upper trophic level marine predators from the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska |
title_full |
Mercury concentrations in breast feathers of three upper trophic level marine predators from the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska |
title_fullStr |
Mercury concentrations in breast feathers of three upper trophic level marine predators from the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mercury concentrations in breast feathers of three upper trophic level marine predators from the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska |
title_sort |
mercury concentrations in breast feathers of three upper trophic level marine predators from the western aleutian islands, alaska |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/b8a720b5-4d85-4b42-ab28-ea2eb82912a4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.02.034 https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0025326X14001398 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(173.601,173.601,52.435,52.435) |
geographic |
Agattu Island |
geographic_facet |
Agattu Island |
genre |
Agattu Bubo scandiacus snowy owl Alaska Aleutian Islands |
genre_facet |
Agattu Bubo scandiacus snowy owl Alaska Aleutian Islands |
op_source |
Kaler , R S A , Kenney , L A , Bond , A L & Eagles-smith , C A 2014 , ' Mercury concentrations in breast feathers of three upper trophic level marine predators from the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska ' , Marine Pollution Bulletin , vol. 82 , no. 1-2 , pp. 189-193 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.02.034 |
op_relation |
https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/b8a720b5-4d85-4b42-ab28-ea2eb82912a4 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.02.034 |
container_title |
Marine Pollution Bulletin |
container_volume |
82 |
container_issue |
1-2 |
container_start_page |
189 |
op_container_end_page |
193 |
_version_ |
1802647878151176192 |