Ecological effects of mercury in aquatic ecosystems
- Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States). Division of Environmental Studies
As a result of former mining operations, roughly 100 tons of mercury were released into Clear Lake, California. In 1992 the authors conducted a baseline survey designed to evaluate the levels and potential effects of mercury within this aquatic ecosystem. Both surficial sediments and cores confirm a clear exponential decline in total mercury and methyl mercury as a function of distance from the mine site. The ratio of methyl/total mercury in surficial sediments, however, increases exponentially as a function of distance from the mine. Declines in total mercury in water were not as steep as for sediments. Plankton, oligochaetes and chironomids also exhibited exponential declines in total mercury but not methyl mercury as a function of distance from the mine. Patterns of invertebrate population and community level parameters will be discussed in relation to mercury and other potential pollutants. Fish showed increasing mercury levels with increasing body size and the following species specific differences: carp < silversides < channel catfish < largemouth bass. Some higher than expected levels of methyl mercury were found at sites distant from the mine. An hypothesis to explain these methyl mercury distributions as a function of bioavailability will be presented.
- OSTI ID:
- 49507
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9410273-; TRN: IM9523%%330
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 15. annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), Denver, CO (United States), 30 Oct - 3 Nov 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 15th annual meeting: Abstract book. Ecological risk: Science, policy, law, and perception; PB: 286 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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