Freshwater discharges drive high levels of methylmercury in Arctic marine biota

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Amina T SchartupElsie M Sunderland

Abstract

Elevated levels of neurotoxic methylmercury in Arctic food-webs pose health risks for indigenous populations that consume large quantities of marine mammals and fish. Estuaries provide critical hunting and fishing territory for these populations, and, until recently, benthic sediment was thought to be the main methylmercury source for coastal fish. New hydroelectric developments are being proposed in many northern ecosystems, and the ecological impacts of this industry relative to accelerating climate changes are poorly characterized. Here we evaluate the competing impacts of climate-driven changes in northern ecosystems and reservoir flooding on methylmercury production and bioaccumulation through a case study of a stratified sub-Arctic estuarine fjord in Labrador, Canada. Methylmercury bioaccumulation in zooplankton is higher than in midlatitude ecosystems. Direct measurements and modeling show that currently the largest methylmercury source is production in oxic surface seawater. Water-column methylation is highest in stratified surface waters near the river mouth because of the stimulating effects of terrestrial organic matter on methylating microbes. We attribute enhanced biomagnification in plankton to a thin layer of mar...Continue Reading

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Citations

May 2, 2016·Environmental Pollution·Ziming YangBaohua Gu
Sep 28, 2016·Nature Microbiology·Caitlin M GionfriddoJohn W Moreau
Sep 28, 2016·Nature Microbiology·Elsie M Sunderland, Amina T Schartup
Nov 2, 2016·Environmental Science & Technology·Anne L SoerensenErik Björn
Oct 21, 2016·Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry·Cheng-Shiuan Lee, Nicholas S Fisher
Feb 24, 2017·Nature Communications·Jennifer B KorosiJules M Blais
Feb 18, 2017·Global Change Biology·Juan José AlavaU Rashid Sumaila
Jun 6, 2017·Science Advances·Xia LuBaohua Gu
Dec 19, 2017·Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology·Sara J Klapstein, Nelson J O'Driscoll
Jun 5, 2018·Global Biogeochemical Cycles·G RosatiJ E Sonke
Oct 4, 2017·Estuaries and Coasts : Journal of the Estuarine Research Federation·Kate BuckmanCelia Chen
Jun 22, 2018·Environmental Science & Technology·Emily A SeelenRobert P Mason
Dec 10, 2016·Environmental Science & Technology·Leiming ZhangPeter Weiss-Penzias
Dec 10, 2016·Environmental Science & Technology·Ryan S D CalderElsie M Sunderland
Dec 12, 2017·Environmental Science & Technology·Amina T SchartupElsie M Sunderland
Jul 8, 2021·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Daniel S GrégoireAlexandre J Poulain
Oct 8, 2021·Environmental Science & Technology·Maodian LiuXuejun Wang

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