A sensitive bio-behavioral assay for methyl mercury

Lahue, Robert

doi:10.1007/bf01720698

Cited by 4 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Because the lack of effect of Hg on web structure in the present study contrasts with the pronounced effects found in other studies [12,13], it is important to evaluate the [THg] in potential prey in the present study relative to the Hg ingested in earlier research. In Lahue's [12] study, spiders were fed between 1 and 50 pg MeHg each day.…”

Section: Mercury Concentration In Prey and Exposure Pathwayscontrasting

confidence: 66%

“…None of the effects of Hg on web structure previously demonstrated by Lahue [12] and Buckles [13]-smaller web size, shape distortion, larger free zone, and smaller mesh height-were observed in this population of spiders (simple linear regression, R 2 < 0.1; p > 0.08 for all tests; Table 1). Even when multiple regression analysis was used to account for variation in spider mass [24], this lack of significant relationships remained (R 2 ¼ 0.343; p ¼ 0.168 for log(mesh height)).…”

Section: Mercury Load and Individual Web Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 48%

“…1 for definitions of web structural measures). These structural aspects were selected for study either because they could be affected by ingested Hg [12,13] or because they were key features of web structure [20] that had not yet been examined in Hg studies. The number of radii, the number of spiral threads in the upper and lower vertical sectors of the web, and the completeness of the web spiral in all sectors were determined through examination of the photographs.…”

Section: Analysis Of Web Photographsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Lahue [12] and Buckles [13] each describe the deleterious effects of controlled daily doses of Hg on the web structure of captive orb-weaving spiders. These studies are valuable in describing the short-term effects of Hg on spider web-building behavior, but their ability to predict the effects of long-term atmospheric Hg deposition on spiders in natural environments is limited.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on the work of Lahue [12] and Buckles [13], webs of spiders with high Hg content were predicted to be small, distorted, and have larger free zones and smaller mesh sizes as compared with the webs of spiders with low Hg content.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mercury bioaccumulation, speciation, and influence on web structure in orb‐weaving spiders from a forested watershed

Wyman

Rodenhouse

Bank³

2011

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Atmospheric deposition is an important source of Hg in remote terrestrial ecosystems of northeastern North America. As high-level invertebrate consumers, orb-weaving spiders (family Araneidae) are excellent subjects for studying the impact of sublethal levels of Hg on forest animals because their webs provide snapshots of behavior and neurological function. Spiders of the diadematus group of the genus Araneus were collected from the Jeffers Brook watershed in the White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire (USA), and analyzed for Hg content. Webs were photographed and measured to test for correlations between Hg body burden and web structure. Collected spiders contained concentrations of total Hg averaging 44.7 ± 10.0 ng/g Hg (wet mass; mean ± standard deviation), with 37 ± 6% of the total Hg present in the methylmercury form. Mercury loads were likely accumulated through diet (potential prey items contained an average of 43% of the Hg load in collected spiders) and possibly web ingestion. The present study found no direct evidence that the web structure-and thus the prey-capture ability-of spiders in the study area was affected by their Hg body burden.

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Section: Mercury Concentration In Prey and Exposure Pathwayscontrasting

confidence: 66%

Section: Mercury Load and Individual Web Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 48%

Section: Analysis Of Web Photographsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Mercury bioaccumulation, speciation, and influence on web structure in orb‐weaving spiders from a forested watershed

Wyman

Rodenhouse

Bank³

2011

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Maternal transfer of inorganic mercury and methylmercury in aquatic and terrestrial arthropods

Saxton

Goodman

Collins

et al. 2013

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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The transfer of mercury from females to their offspring plays an important role in mercury accumulation and toxicity during early development. To quantify the transfer of inorganic mercury and methylmercury from female arthropods to their eggs, the authors collected and analyzed brine shrimp (Artemia franciscana), wolf spiders (Alopecosa spp.), and their attached eggs from aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems at the Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA. Essentially all of the mercury in both the female brine shrimp and their eggs was methylmercury (94 AE 17% and 90 AE 21%, respectively). The brine shrimp eggs had methylmercury concentrations that were 84 AE 2% lower than in the females, reflecting the fact that females transferred 45 AE 4% of their total body mass but only 11 AE 3% of their methylmercury burden to their eggs. As a result of this sequestration, the concentration of methylmercury in the female brine shrimp increased by 62 AE 8% during egg formation. The percentage of the total mercury that was methylmercury in female wolf spiders (77 AE 21%) was similar to that in their egg masses (81 AE 19%), indicating similar maternal transfer efficiencies for inorganic mercury and methylmercury in these invertebrates. The concentration of inorganic mercury and methylmercury in the female spiders was the same as in their eggs. These arachnids transferred 48 AE 9% of their total body mass, 55 AE 13% of their inorganic mercury, and 50 AE 9% of their methylmercury to their egg masses. Thus, female wolf spiders do not have the ability to reduce the transfer of methylmercury to their eggs, nor does this process represent an important pathway for the depuration of mercury. The present study demonstrates that although some arthropods have mechanisms to minimize the transfer of methylmercury to their eggs and reduce the potential for mercury toxicity during early development, other arthropods do not. Environ Toxicol Chem 2013;32:2630-2636. # 2013 SETAC

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