Anthropogenic and Climatic Drivers of Long-Term Changes of Mercury and Feeding Ecology in Arctic Beluga ( Delphinapterus leucas ) Populations
We assessed long-term changes in the feeding ecology and mercury (Hg) accumulation in Eastern High Arctic-Baffin Bay beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) using total Hg and stable isotope (δ 13 C, δ 15 N) assays in teeth samples from historical (1854–1905) and modern (1985–2000) populations. Mean δ 13 C v...
Published in: | Environmental Science & Technology |
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2022
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Online Access: | https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/anthropogenic-and-climatic-drivers-of-longterm-changes-of-mercury-and-feeding-ecology-in-arctic-beluga-delphinapterus-leucas-populations(d8de5ab2-0047-471d-9cf6-f2ad71974c9b).html https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c05389 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85121975039&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
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ftuniaarhuspubl:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/d8de5ab2-0047-471d-9cf6-f2ad71974c9b 2023-05-15T14:25:47+02:00 Anthropogenic and Climatic Drivers of Long-Term Changes of Mercury and Feeding Ecology in Arctic Beluga ( Delphinapterus leucas ) Populations Desforges, Jean Pierre Outridge, Peter Hobson, Keith A. Heide-Jørgensen, Mads Peter Dietz, Rune 2022-01 https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/anthropogenic-and-climatic-drivers-of-longterm-changes-of-mercury-and-feeding-ecology-in-arctic-beluga-delphinapterus-leucas-populations(d8de5ab2-0047-471d-9cf6-f2ad71974c9b).html https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c05389 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85121975039&partnerID=8YFLogxK eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Desforges , J P , Outridge , P , Hobson , K A , Heide-Jørgensen , M P & Dietz , R 2022 , ' Anthropogenic and Climatic Drivers of Long-Term Changes of Mercury and Feeding Ecology in Arctic Beluga ( Delphinapterus leucas ) Populations ' , Environmental Science and Technology , vol. 56 , no. 1 , pp. 271-281 . https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c05389 beluga carbon-13 climate change global change. human activity mercury nitrogen-15 stable isotopes article 2022 ftuniaarhuspubl https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c05389 2022-03-09T23:50:20Z We assessed long-term changes in the feeding ecology and mercury (Hg) accumulation in Eastern High Arctic-Baffin Bay beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) using total Hg and stable isotope (δ 13 C, δ 15 N) assays in teeth samples from historical (1854–1905) and modern (1985–2000) populations. Mean δ 13 C values in teeth declined significantly over time, from −13.01 ± 0.55‰ historically to −14.41 ± 0.28‰ in 2000, while no consistent pattern was evident for δ 15 N due to high individual variability within each period. The temporal shift in isotopic niche is consistent with beluga feeding ecology changing in recent decades to a more pelagic and less isotopically diverse diet or an ecosystem wide change in isotope profiles. Mercury concentrations in modern beluga teeth were 3–5 times higher on average than those in historical beluga. These results are similar to the long-term trends of Hg and feeding ecology reported in other beluga populations and in other Arctic marine predators. Similar feeding ecology shifts across regions and species indicate a consistent increased pelagic diet response to climate change as the Arctic Ocean progressively warmed and lost sea ice. Previously, significant temporal Hg increase in beluga and other Arctic animals was attributed solely to direct inputs of anthropogenic Hg from long-range sources. Recent advances in understanding the Arctic marine Hg cycle suggest an additional, complementary possibility─increased inputs of terrestrial Hg of mixed anthropogenic-natural origin, mobilized from permafrost and other Arctic soils by climate warming. At present, it is not possible to assign relative importance to the two processes in explaining the rise of Hg concentrations in modern Arctic marine predators. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic Arctic Ocean Baffin Bay Baffin Bay Baffin Beluga Beluga* Climate change Delphinapterus leucas Ice permafrost Sea ice Aarhus University: Research Arctic Arctic Ocean Baffin Bay Environmental Science & Technology 56 1 271 281 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Aarhus University: Research |
op_collection_id |
ftuniaarhuspubl |
language |
English |
topic |
beluga carbon-13 climate change global change. human activity mercury nitrogen-15 stable isotopes |
spellingShingle |
beluga carbon-13 climate change global change. human activity mercury nitrogen-15 stable isotopes Desforges, Jean Pierre Outridge, Peter Hobson, Keith A. Heide-Jørgensen, Mads Peter Dietz, Rune Anthropogenic and Climatic Drivers of Long-Term Changes of Mercury and Feeding Ecology in Arctic Beluga ( Delphinapterus leucas ) Populations |
topic_facet |
beluga carbon-13 climate change global change. human activity mercury nitrogen-15 stable isotopes |
description |
We assessed long-term changes in the feeding ecology and mercury (Hg) accumulation in Eastern High Arctic-Baffin Bay beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) using total Hg and stable isotope (δ 13 C, δ 15 N) assays in teeth samples from historical (1854–1905) and modern (1985–2000) populations. Mean δ 13 C values in teeth declined significantly over time, from −13.01 ± 0.55‰ historically to −14.41 ± 0.28‰ in 2000, while no consistent pattern was evident for δ 15 N due to high individual variability within each period. The temporal shift in isotopic niche is consistent with beluga feeding ecology changing in recent decades to a more pelagic and less isotopically diverse diet or an ecosystem wide change in isotope profiles. Mercury concentrations in modern beluga teeth were 3–5 times higher on average than those in historical beluga. These results are similar to the long-term trends of Hg and feeding ecology reported in other beluga populations and in other Arctic marine predators. Similar feeding ecology shifts across regions and species indicate a consistent increased pelagic diet response to climate change as the Arctic Ocean progressively warmed and lost sea ice. Previously, significant temporal Hg increase in beluga and other Arctic animals was attributed solely to direct inputs of anthropogenic Hg from long-range sources. Recent advances in understanding the Arctic marine Hg cycle suggest an additional, complementary possibility─increased inputs of terrestrial Hg of mixed anthropogenic-natural origin, mobilized from permafrost and other Arctic soils by climate warming. At present, it is not possible to assign relative importance to the two processes in explaining the rise of Hg concentrations in modern Arctic marine predators. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Desforges, Jean Pierre Outridge, Peter Hobson, Keith A. Heide-Jørgensen, Mads Peter Dietz, Rune |
author_facet |
Desforges, Jean Pierre Outridge, Peter Hobson, Keith A. Heide-Jørgensen, Mads Peter Dietz, Rune |
author_sort |
Desforges, Jean Pierre |
title |
Anthropogenic and Climatic Drivers of Long-Term Changes of Mercury and Feeding Ecology in Arctic Beluga ( Delphinapterus leucas ) Populations |
title_short |
Anthropogenic and Climatic Drivers of Long-Term Changes of Mercury and Feeding Ecology in Arctic Beluga ( Delphinapterus leucas ) Populations |
title_full |
Anthropogenic and Climatic Drivers of Long-Term Changes of Mercury and Feeding Ecology in Arctic Beluga ( Delphinapterus leucas ) Populations |
title_fullStr |
Anthropogenic and Climatic Drivers of Long-Term Changes of Mercury and Feeding Ecology in Arctic Beluga ( Delphinapterus leucas ) Populations |
title_full_unstemmed |
Anthropogenic and Climatic Drivers of Long-Term Changes of Mercury and Feeding Ecology in Arctic Beluga ( Delphinapterus leucas ) Populations |
title_sort |
anthropogenic and climatic drivers of long-term changes of mercury and feeding ecology in arctic beluga ( delphinapterus leucas ) populations |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/anthropogenic-and-climatic-drivers-of-longterm-changes-of-mercury-and-feeding-ecology-in-arctic-beluga-delphinapterus-leucas-populations(d8de5ab2-0047-471d-9cf6-f2ad71974c9b).html https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c05389 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85121975039&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
geographic |
Arctic Arctic Ocean Baffin Bay |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Arctic Ocean Baffin Bay |
genre |
Arctic Arctic Arctic Ocean Baffin Bay Baffin Bay Baffin Beluga Beluga* Climate change Delphinapterus leucas Ice permafrost Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic Arctic Ocean Baffin Bay Baffin Bay Baffin Beluga Beluga* Climate change Delphinapterus leucas Ice permafrost Sea ice |
op_source |
Desforges , J P , Outridge , P , Hobson , K A , Heide-Jørgensen , M P & Dietz , R 2022 , ' Anthropogenic and Climatic Drivers of Long-Term Changes of Mercury and Feeding Ecology in Arctic Beluga ( Delphinapterus leucas ) Populations ' , Environmental Science and Technology , vol. 56 , no. 1 , pp. 271-281 . https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c05389 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c05389 |
container_title |
Environmental Science & Technology |
container_volume |
56 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
271 |
op_container_end_page |
281 |
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1766298237725048832 |