Inferring spatial patterns of mercury exposure in migratory boreal songbirds: Combining feather mercury and stable isotope (δ2H) measurements

Ma, Yanju; Hobson, Keith A.; Kardynal, Kevin J.; Guglielmo, Christopher G.; Branfireun, Brian A.

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143109

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Several intrinsic and extrinsic factors drive variation in Hg contamination and kinetics in wild organisms. Feeding ecology is a key explanatory factor of among‐ and within‐species variation in tissue Hg concentrations (Anderson et al ., 2009; Carravieri et al ., 2014b, 2021; Polito et al ., 2016; Ma et al ., 2021) but other traits such as sex and age can also modulate this variation (Eagles‐Smith et al ., 2009; Robinson, Lajeunesse & Forbes, 2012; Jackson et al ., 2015; Chételat et al ., 2020). In addition, life‐history traits such as breeding or migration strategies can influence diet, feeding rate, energy storage and expenditure, thus driving variation in Hg burdens (Seewagen, Cristol & Gerson, 2016; Ackerman, Hartman & Herzog, 2019; Adams et al ., 2020a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative meta‐analysis reveals no association between mercury contamination and body condition in birds

et al. 2022

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Mercury contamination is a major threat to the global environment, and is still increasing in some regions despite international regulations. The methylated form of mercury is hazardous to biota, yet its sublethal effects are difficult to detect in wildlife. Body condition can vary in response to stressors, but previous studies have shown mixed effects of mercury on body condition in wildlife. Using birds as study organisms, we provide the first quantitative synthesis of the effect of mercury on body condition in animals. In addition, we explored the influence of intrinsic, extrinsic and methodological factors potentially explaining cross-study heterogeneity in results. We considered experimental and correlative studies carried out in adult birds and chicks, and mercury exposure inferred from blood and feathers. Most experimental

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative meta‐analysis reveals no association between mercury contamination and body condition in birds

et al. 2022

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“…Ratios of H in metabolically inert keratinous tissues (e.g., hair, feather) of wildlife can provide information on animal movements and origin because the hydrogen isotope signature (reflecting food and water intake) is related to broad-scale geographic patterns of δD in precipitation (δD precip ). Recent innovative approaches are emerging to assess Hg concentrations and exposure pathways in wildlife using δD in keratinous tissues [ 39 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet and landscape characteristics drive spatial patterns of mercury accumulation in a high-latitude terrestrial carnivore

Peraza,

Chételat,

Richardson

et al. 2023

PLoS ONE

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Limited information exists on mercury concentrations and environmental drivers of mercury bioaccumulation in high latitude terrestrial carnivores. Spatial patterns of mercury concentrations in wolverine (Gulo gulo, n = 419) were assessed across a 1,600,000 km2 study area in relation to landscape, climate, diet and biological factors in Arctic and boreal biomes of western Canada. Hydrogen stable isotope ratios were measured in wolverine hair from a subset of 80 animals to assess the spatial scale for characterizing environmental conditions of their habitat. Habitat characteristics were determined using GIS methods and raster datasets at two scales, the collection location point and a 150 km radius buffer, which was selected based on results of a correlation analysis between hydrogen stable isotopes in precipitation and wolverine hair. Total mercury concentrations in wolverine muscle ranged >2 orders of magnitude from 0.01 to 5.72 μg/g dry weight and varied geographically, with the highest concentrations in the Northwest Territories followed by Nunavut and Yukon. Regression models at both spatial scales indicated diet (based on nitrogen stable isotope ratios) was the strongest explanatory variable of mercury concentrations in wolverine, with smaller though statistically significant contributions from landscape variables (soil organic carbon, percent cover of wet area, percent cover of perennial snow-ice) and distance to the Arctic Ocean coast. The carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of wolverine muscle suggested greater mercury bioaccumulation could be associated with feeding on marine biota in coastal habitats. Landscape variables identified in the modelling may reflect habitat conditions which support enhanced methylmercury transfer to terrestrial biota. Spatially-explicit estimates of wet atmospheric deposition were positively correlated with wolverine mercury concentrations but this variable was not selected in the final regression models. These landscape patterns provide a basis for further research on underlying processes enhancing methylmercury uptake in high latitude terrestrial food webs.

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“…Bearhop et al 2004) and migratory pathways of declining bird species (Evans et al, 2012; Steenweg et al, 2017). Due to logistic and economic constraints, most studies measuring both dietary and origin isotope niches have focused on single species or local populations and communities (but see Yohannes et al, 2007; Rader et al, 2017; Ma et al 2020). However, examining multiple isotope niches at migratory bottlenecks offers the unique opportunity to quantify and compare niche parameters among several bird species that evolved different migratory behaviours.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multidimensional natal isotopic niches reflect migratory patterns in birds

Franzoi

Larsen

Franceschi

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Naturally occurring stable isotope ratios in animal tissues allow estimation of species trophic position and ecological niche. Measuring multiple isotopes of migratory species along flyway bottlenecks offers the opportunity to sample multiple populations and species whose tissues carry information at continental scales. We measured d2H, d18O, d13C, d15N in juvenile feathers of 21 bird species captured at a migratory bottleneck in the Italian Alps. We examined if trends in individual isotopes reflected known migratory strategies and whether dietary (d13C-d15N) and spatially-explicit breeding origin (d2H-d18O) niche breadth (NB) differed among long-distance trans-Saharan (TS), short-distance (IP) and irruptive (IR) intra-Palearctic migrants, and whether they correlated with reported populations long-term trends. In both TS and IP groups, species d2H declined with capture date, indicating that northern populations reached the stopover site later in the season, following a Type-I migration strategy. Values of d2H indicated that breeding range of TS migrants extended farther north than IP and IR migrants. The breeding season was longer for IP migrants whose d13C and d15N values declined and increased, respectively, with time of capture. Average species dietary NB did not differ among migratory groups, but TS migrants displayed wider breeding origin niches, suggesting that long-distant migration is linked to broader ecological niches. Isotope origin NB well reflected species geographic range extent, while dietary NB did not correlate with literature accounts of species diet. We found no relationship between species breeding NB and population trends in Europe, implying that conditions in the wintering grounds could be more important for the long-term persistence of species. We demonstrate that isotopic measurements of passerines migrating through a bottleneck represents a unique opportunity to investigate large-scale life-history phenomena relevant to conservation.

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Inferring spatial patterns of mercury exposure in migratory boreal songbirds: Combining feather mercury and stable isotope (δ2H) measurements

Cited by 11 publications

References 60 publications

Quantitative meta‐analysis reveals no association between mercury contamination and body condition in birds

Quantitative meta‐analysis reveals no association between mercury contamination and body condition in birds

Diet and landscape characteristics drive spatial patterns of mercury accumulation in a high-latitude terrestrial carnivore

Multidimensional natal isotopic niches reflect migratory patterns in birds

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