Changes in trophic position affect rates of contaminant decline at two seabird colonies in the Canadian Arctic

Braune, Birgit M.; Gaston, Anthony J.; Hobson, Keith A.; Gilchrist, H. Grant; Mallory, Mark L.

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.01.027

Cited by 35 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…In ringed seals from Greenland, Hg liver levels were found to increase at Avanersuaq and Ittoqqortoormiit between 1980s and 2010, with annual increases of 2%/yr and 10%/yr, respectively (Rigét et al 2012); a decrease was observed in seals from Qeqertarsuaq (–3.1%/yr; 1994–2010). Global temporal trends of Hg in Arctic biota have not been consistent across species and regions (Rigét et al 2011; Braune et al 2015b). In general, higher numbers of time‐series with increasing THg in liver were found for arctic marine mammals based on results up to 2009 (Rigét et al 2011).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury in Ringed Seals (Pusa hispida) from the Canadian Arctic in Relation to Time and Climate Parameters

Houde

Taranu

Wang

et al. 2020

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Mercury is found in Arctic marine mammals that are important in the diet of northern Indigenous peoples. The objectives of the present long-term study, spanning a 45-yr period, were to 1) investigate the temporal trends of total mercury (THg; muscle and liver) and selenium (Se; liver) in ringed seals (Pusa hispida) from different regions of the Canadian Arctic; and 2) examine possible relationships with age, diet, and climate parameters such as air temperature, precipitation, climatic indices, and ice-coverage. Ringed seals were collected by hunters in northern communities in the Beaufort Sea, Central Arctic, Eastern Baffin Island, Hudson Bay, and Ungava/Nunatsiavut regions (Canada) between 1972 and 2017. Mercury levels did not change through time in seal liver, but THg levels in muscle decreased in seals from Hudson Bay (−0.91%/yr) and Ungava/ Nunatsiavut (−1.30%/yr). Carbon stable isotope values in seal muscle decreased significantly through time in 4 regions. Selenium-to-THg ratios were found to be >1 for all years and regions. Variation partitioning analyses across regions indicated that THg trends in seals were mostly explained by age (7.3-21.7%), climate parameters (3.5-12.5%), and diet (up to 9%); climate indices (i.e., Arctic and North Atlantic Oscillations, Pacific/North American pattern) explained the majority of the climate portion. The THg levels had a positive relationship with Arctic Oscillation for multiple regions. Associations of THg with air temperature, total precipitation, and sea-ice coverage, as well as with North Atlantic Oscillation and Pacific/North American pattern were found to vary with tissue type and geographical area. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;00:1-13. © 2020 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury in Ringed Seals (Pusa hispida) from the Canadian Arctic in Relation to Time and Climate Parameters

Houde

Taranu

Wang

et al. 2020

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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“…The remaining papers (60%) were field research and aquatic food web bioaccumulation modeling that focused on Arctic, Antarctic, and temperate regions ( Table 2). Six of these papers were supported with field data, historical and time series contaminant data exclusively focused on the Arctic (Braune et al, 2014, Braune, Gaston, et al, 2015Jenssen et al, 2015;Macdonald et al, 2005;McKinney et al, 2015) or based on hypothetical food web bioaccumulation modeling work (Borg a, Saloranta & Ruus, 2010;Carere et al, 2011;Gouin et al, 2013).…”

Section: Interactions In Marine Food Websmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While several empirical studies in biota (marine mammals and sea birds) from the Arctic have documented increased concentrations of some POPs in polar bears (McKinney et al, 2009(McKinney et al, , 2012(McKinney et al, , 2015 and mercury in sea birds (Braune et al, 2014), few field contributions have shown that the concentrations of an important number of legacy POPs (e.g., PCBs, DDTs, OC pesticides; Table 2) have actually decreased in food webs of seabirds (Braune, Gaston, et al, 2015) or exhibited a lack of increase in some polar bear populations (McKinney et al, 2013). These examples of decreases in contaminants concentrations were attributed to shifts in diets and changes in trophic position, as well as the phasing out of the use of these contaminants (i.e., PCBs, DDTs) in the late 1970s.…”

Section: Interactions In Marine Food Websmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As primary production will be affected by climate change, the amount of POPs such as PCBs readily absorbed by phytoplankton and amplified through food web will be affected, as well (e.g., Borg a et al, 2010;Carere et al, 2011;Gouin et al, 2013;Macdonald, Mackay & Hickie, 2002;Ng & Gray, 2011;Nikinmaa, 2013;Schiedek et al, 2007). The removal or addition of trophic levels and alteration of bottom-up (i.e., disrupted primary production and nutrient cycling) or top-down (i.e., reduction or loss of top predators) mechanisms in the food web mediated by climate changeinduced pollutant sensitivity processes are likely to have dramatic effects on the bioaccumulation and biomagnification patterns of PCBs and mercury, that is, increase or decrease in pollutants levels in the food web Braune, Gaston & Mallory, 2016;Braune et al, 2014, Braune, Gaston, et al, 2015Gouin et al, 2013;Jenssen et al, 2015;Krabbenhoft & Sunderland, 2013;Macdonald et al, 2005;McKinney et al, 2009McKinney et al, , 2012McKinney et al, , 2013McKinney et al, , 2015Schiedek et al, 2007).…”

Section: Interactions In Marine Food Websmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Climate change–contaminant interactions in marine food webs: Toward a conceptual framework

Alava

Cheung

Ross

et al. 2017

Global Change Biology

135

110

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Climate change is reshaping the way in which contaminants move through the global environment, in large part by changing the chemistry of the oceans and affecting the physiology, health, and feeding ecology of marine biota. Climate change-associated impacts on structure and function of marine food webs, with consequent changes in contaminant transport, fate, and effects, are likely to have significant repercussions to those human populations that rely on fisheries resources for food, recreation, or culture. Published studies on climate change-contaminant interactions with a focus on food web bioaccumulation were systematically reviewed to explore how climate change and ocean acidification may impact contaminant levels in marine food webs. We propose here a conceptual framework to illustrate the impacts of climate change on contaminant accumulation in marine food webs, as well as the downstream consequences for ecosystem goods and services. The potential impacts on social and economic security for coastal communities that depend on fisheries for food are discussed. Climate change-contaminant interactions may alter the bioaccumulation of two priority contaminant classes: the fat-soluble persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as well as the protein-binding methylmercury (MeHg). These interactions include phenomena deemed to be either climate change dominant (i.e., climate change leads to an increase in contaminant exposure) or contaminant dominant (i.e., contamination leads to an increase in climate change susceptibility). We illustrate the pathways of climate change-contaminant interactions using case studies in the Northeastern Pacific Ocean. The important role of ecological and food web modeling to inform decision-making in managing ecological and human health risks of chemical pollutants contamination under climate change is also highlighted. Finally, we identify the need to develop integrated policies that manage the ecological and socioeconomic risk of greenhouse gases and marine pollutants.

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“…In particular, stable isotope ratios are often used to disentangle variation in contaminant levels associated with diet from variation associated with environmental factors (Elliott and Elliott, 2013;Braune et al, 2014Braune et al, , 2015Miller et al, 2014Miller et al, , 2015. However, lipids are depleted in 13 C compared with protein and variation in lipid content can confound interpretation of diet (De Niro and Epstein, 1977;Post et al, 2007;Ricca et al, 2007;Oppel et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lipid extraction techniques for stable isotope analysis of bird eggs: Chloroform–methanol leads to more enriched 13C values than extraction via petroleum ether

Elliott

2016

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

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Changes in trophic position affect rates of contaminant decline at two seabird colonies in the Canadian Arctic

Cited by 35 publications

References 43 publications

Mercury in Ringed Seals (Pusa hispida) from the Canadian Arctic in Relation to Time and Climate Parameters

Mercury in Ringed Seals (Pusa hispida) from the Canadian Arctic in Relation to Time and Climate Parameters

Climate change–contaminant interactions in marine food webs: Toward a conceptual framework

Lipid extraction techniques for stable isotope analysis of bird eggs: Chloroform–methanol leads to more enriched 13C values than extraction via petroleum ether

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