| Trophic relationships in an Arctic food web and implications for trace metal transfer. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 16387350 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Tissues of subsistence-harvested Arctic mammals were analyzed for silver (Ag), cadmium (Cd), and total mercury (THg). Muscle (or total body homogenates of potential fish and invertebrate prey) was analyzed for stable carbon (delta13C) and nitrogen (delta15N) isotopes to establish trophic interactions within the Arctic food chain. Food web magnification factors (FWMFs) and biomagnification factors for selected predator-prey scenarios (BMFs) were calculated to describe pathways of heavy metals in the Alaskan Arctic. FWMFs in this study indicate that magnification of selected heavy metals in the Arctic food web is not significant. Biomagnification of Cd occurs mainly in kidneys; calculated BMFs are higher for hepatic THg than renal THg for all predator-prey scenarios with the exception of polar bears (Ursus maritimus). In bears, the accumulation of renal THg is approximately 6 times higher than in liver. Magnification of hepatic Ag is minimal for all selected predator-prey scenarios. Though polar bears occupy a higher trophic level than belugas (Delphinapterus leucas), based on delta15N, the metal concentrations are either not statistically different between the two species or lower for bears. Similarly, concentrations of renal and hepatic Cd are significantly lower or not statistically different in polar bears compared to ringed (Phoca hispida) and bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus), their primary prey. THg, on the other hand, increased significantly from seal to polar bear tissues. Mean delta15N was lowest in muscle of Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) and foxes also show the lowest levels of Hg, Cd and Ag in liver and kidney compared to the other species analyzed. These values are in good agreement with a diet dominated by terrestrial prey. Metal deposition in animal tissues is strongly dependent on biological factors such as diet, age, sex, body condition and health, and caution should be taken when interpreting magnification of dynamic and actively regulated trace metals. |
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Authors:
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Larissa-A Dehn; Erich H Follmann; Dana L Thomas; Gay G Sheffield; Cheryl Rosa; Lawrence K Duffy; Todd M O'Hara |
Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Date: 2006-01-04 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: The Science of the total environment Volume: 362 ISSN: 0048-9697 ISO Abbreviation: Sci. Total Environ. Publication Date: 2006 Jun |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2006-05-23 Completed Date: 2006-07-28 Revised Date: 2006-11-15 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 0330500 Medline TA: Sci Total Environ Country: Netherlands |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 103-23 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7000, USA. ftld@uaf.edu |
Export Citation:
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APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Alaska Animals Cadmium / analysis*, metabolism Carbon Isotopes Environmental Monitoring Food Chain* Foxes Kidney / chemistry Liver / chemistry Mercury / analysis*, metabolism Muscles / chemistry Nitrogen Isotopes Principal Component Analysis Seals, Earless Silver / analysis*, metabolism Ursidae Walruses Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*, metabolism Whales |
| Chemical | |
Reg. No./Substance:
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0/Carbon Isotopes; 0/Nitrogen Isotopes; 0/Water Pollutants, Chemical; 7439-97-6/Mercury; 7440-22-4/Silver; 7440-43-9/Cadmium |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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