Monitoring mercury across the National Wildlife Refuge System using a biosentinel approach
Wilkening JL , Willacker JJ, Khazan ES, Flanagan Pritz CM , Nelson SJ, Collins C, Ko K, Emery C, Eagles-Smith CA . 2026. Monitoring mercury across the National Wildlife Refuge System using a biosentinel approach. The Journal of Wildlife Management. Online:e70189
A paper using dragonfly larvae as biosentinels to assess mercury risk across the National Wildlife Refuge System, “Monitoring mercury across the National Wildlife Refuge System using a biosentinel approach,” has been published by the Journal of Wildlife Management. Led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and co-authored by ARD ecologist Colleen Flanagan Pritz, the study analyzes mercury concentrations in more than 1,300 dragonfly larvae collected from 30 refuges nationwide between 2021 and 2023. Refuge data were evaluated within the broader Dragonfly Mercury Project network, enabling comparison with predominantly NPS sites across the U.S. Results show substantial variability among refuges, with 80% containing sites classified as moderate or higher mercury risk based on an integrated impairment index – information that can inform management decisions, public health messaging, and fish and wildlife consumption advisories. The study highlights the value of DOI partnerships and shared monitoring frameworks for identifying at-risk waterbodies, establishing baselines for tracking change, and advancing efforts to reduce mercury risks to wildlife and people.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Wilkening, J; Willacker, J; Khazan, E; Flanagan Pritz, C; Nelson, S; Collins, C; Ko, K; Emery, C; Eagles-Smith, C
- Keywords
- airborne pollutants, Dragonfly Mercury Project, global change, habitat conservation, landscape scale monitoring, water management, wildlife refuges
- Subjects
- NPS.gov Subject Site: Air , NPS.gov Subject Site: Citizen Science
- License
- Public Domain