Factors affecting enhanced mercury bioaccumulation in inland lakes of Isle Royale National Park, USA
Gorski PR, Cleckner LB, Hurley JP, Sierszen ME, Armstrong DE. 2003. Factors affecting enhanced mercury bioaccumulation in inland lakes of Isle Royale National Park, USA. The Science of the Total Environment. 304(2003):327-348
Factors causing mercury (Hg) concentrations in northern pike to exceed the consumption advisory level >500 ng/g in some inland lakes of Isle Royale National Park were investigated. Using Hg-clean techniques, water, zooplankton, macro invertebrates, and fishes were collected from one advisory lake, Sargent Lake, for analysis of total mercury (HgT) and methylmercury (MeHg). For comparison, samples were also collected from a non-advisory lake, Lake Richie. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes were quantified for food web analysis. Concentrations of HgT in northern pike were significantly higher in Sargent Lake. Counter to expectations, mean concentrations of both HgT and MeHg in open water samples were slightly higher in Lake Richie. However, zooplankton in Sargent Lake contained higher average concentrations of HgT and MeHg than in Lake Richie. Mercury concentrations in macro invertebrates were similar between lakes, but different between taxa. The two lakes exhibited similar HgT concentrations in age-1 yellow perch and adult perch but concentrations in large adult perch >160 mm in Sargent Lake were twice the concentrations in Lake Richie. Analysis of stable isotopes in biota showed that pike from the two lakes are positioned at the same trophic level, but that the food web is more pelagic-based in Sargent and benthic-based in Richie. Factors causing concentrations in large pike to be higher in Sargent Lake may include higher bioavailability of methylmercury and a food web that enhances bioaccumulation.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Gorski, Patrick; Cleckner, Lisa; Hurley, James; Sierszen, Michael; Armstrong, David
- Units
- ARD , ISRO
- Keywords
- ARD_Park-Air-Info_Collection, bioavailability, Biomagnification, Contaminants, Deposition, Fish, Food Web, Isle Royale National Park, Macro invertebrates, Mercury, methyl mercury, Michigan, Northern Pike, Stable Isotopes, Toxics, Trophic Level, Water Quality, yellow perch, Zooplankton