Contaminants affect all levels of the aquatic food chain
Great Lakes Network. 2016. Contaminants affect all levels of the aquatic food chain. National Park Service
This brief looks at the levels of six types of contaminants in the aquatic food chain in six of the Great Lakes Network park units from 2008-20012. Mercury, lead, DDT, PCBs, PFCs, and PBDEs were measured in bottom sediments, water, seston, zooplankton, larval dragonflies, prey fish, and predator fish. Legacy and emerging contaminants were at very low levels in almost all the sampling sites. Mercury concentrations were frequently found at high levels. Methylmercury concentration in larval dragonflies was suggested as a good measure of its prevalence in aquatic food chains.
- Type
- Resource Brief
- Authors
- Great Lakes Network
- Date of Issue
- 2016-12
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- GLKN , GRPO , INDU , ISRO , PIRO , SLBE , VOYA
- Keywords
- Contaminant Brief, dragonflies, fish, fur trade, Great Lakes, Lake Water Quality Brief, mercury
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Toxics