Work

Little seasonal variation of mercury concentrations and biomagnification in an Arctic pelagic food web

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: • Trophic diversity in the food web was slightly higher in the summer. • Total mercury concentrations varied without clear seasonal pattern. • Total mercury concentrations were lower than from other parts of the Arctic. • Trends of lower mercury biomagnification were seen in winter. • Mercury trophic magnification factors (TMFs) were comparable to previous Arctic studies. Despite numerous studies on mercury in Arctic biota, data from inaccessible, ice-covered regions − especially during the polar night and late winter − remain scarce. This scarcity results in poor understanding of the seasonal dynamics of mercury within the food web. From the Northern Barents Sea, we quantified total mercury and the dietary descriptors δ 15 N and δ 13 C as long-term dietary signals (weeks to months) in biota to a) investigate the seasonal pelagic food web structure, b) seasonality in total mercury concentration, c) and its biomagnification in the food web. Mercury and dietary descriptors were analyzed in copepods, macrozooplankton (krill, amphipods, arrow worms, and pteropods) and the fishes, Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua ), polar cod ( Boreogadus saida ) and capelin ( Mallotus villosus ) during spring, late summer, early, and late winter. Seasonal changes were observed in δ 15 N values in some macrozooplankton and capelin, and some seasonal variation was observed across the food web with depleted δ 13 C values in spring and enriched δ 13 C values in late summer. Mercury concentrations were lower (range: 2.49 ng/g dw in the krill Thyssanossa sp. – 70.55 ng/g dw in the pelagic pteropod Clione limacina ) than reported from other parts of the Arctic. We found a positive linear relationship between mercury and relative trophic position represented by δ 15 N, i.e. , biomagnification, during all seasons, except in early winter. As Clione limacina likely had different turnover rates for mercury and stable isotopes resulting in low δ 15 N, but high mercury concentrations in early winter, compared to the other species in the food web, the pteropod was omitted from the regression. By omitting Clione limacina , biomagnification was similar across all seasons (R 2 adj = 0.45). Thus, we saw clear mercury biomagnification with consistent and little seasonal variation in this high Arctic marine food web despite large seasonal fluctuations in abiotic and biotic conditions.

Source: Progress In Oceanography

DOI: 10.1016/j.pocean.2024.103381

Authors: Julia Giebichenstein, Tom Andersen, Øystein Varpe, Geir W. Gabrielsen, Katrine Borgå

Institutions: University of Oslo, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, University of Bergen, Norwegian Polar Institute

Language: English

Topic: Mercury impact and mitigation studies

Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Life below water

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,460