1
|
Evers DC, Ackerman JT, Åkerblom S, Bally D, Basu N, Bishop K, Bodin N, Braaten HFV, Burton MEH, Bustamante P, Chen C, Chételat J, Christian L, Dietz R, Drevnick P, Eagles-Smith C, Fernandez LE, Hammerschlag N, Harmelin-Vivien M, Harte A, Krümmel EM, Brito JL, Medina G, Barrios Rodriguez CA, Stenhouse I, Sunderland E, Takeuchi A, Tear T, Vega C, Wilson S, Wu P. Global mercury concentrations in biota: their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024:10.1007/s10646-024-02747-x. [PMID: 38683471 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02747-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
An important provision of the Minamata Convention on Mercury is to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the adopted measures and its implementation. Here, we describe for the first time currently available biotic mercury (Hg) data on a global scale to improve the understanding of global efforts to reduce the impact of Hg pollution on people and the environment. Data from the peer-reviewed literature were compiled in the Global Biotic Mercury Synthesis (GBMS) database (>550,000 data points). These data provide a foundation for establishing a biomonitoring framework needed to track Hg concentrations in biota globally. We describe Hg exposure in the taxa identified by the Minamata Convention: fish, sea turtles, birds, and marine mammals. Based on the GBMS database, Hg concentrations are presented at relevant geographic scales for continents and oceanic basins. We identify some effective regional templates for monitoring methylmercury (MeHg) availability in the environment, but overall illustrate that there is a general lack of regional biomonitoring initiatives around the world, especially in Africa, Australia, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Temporal trend data for Hg in biota are generally limited. Ecologically sensitive sites (where biota have above average MeHg tissue concentrations) have been identified throughout the world. Efforts to model and quantify ecosystem sensitivity locally, regionally, and globally could help establish effective and efficient biomonitoring programs. We present a framework for a global Hg biomonitoring network that includes a three-step continental and oceanic approach to integrate existing biomonitoring efforts and prioritize filling regional data gaps linked with key Hg sources. We describe a standardized approach that builds on an evidence-based evaluation to assess the Minamata Convention's progress to reduce the impact of global Hg pollution on people and the environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA.
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | | | - Dominique Bally
- African Center for Environmental Health, BP 826 Cidex 03, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Nil Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Kevin Bishop
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Upsalla, Sweden
| | - Nathalie Bodin
- Research Institute for Sustainable Development Seychelles Fishing Authority, Victoria, Seychelles
| | | | - Mark E H Burton
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Celia Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Cliamte Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Linroy Christian
- Department of Analytical Services, Dunbars, Friars Hill, St John, Antigua and Barbuda
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Paul Drevnick
- Teck American Incorporated, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Collin Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Luis E Fernandez
- Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability and Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 29106, USA
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazonica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, Peru
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Shark Research Foundation Inc, 29 Wideview Lane, Boutiliers Point, NS, B3Z 0M9, Canada
| | - Mireille Harmelin-Vivien
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS/INSU/IRD, Institut Méditerranéen d'Océanologie (MIO), UM 110, Campus de Luminy, case 901, 13288, Marseille, cedex 09, France
| | - Agustin Harte
- Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Chem. des Anémones 15, 1219, Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eva M Krümmel
- Inuit Circumpolar Council-Canada, Ottawa, Canada and ScienTissiME Inc, Barry's Bay, ON, Canada
| | - José Lailson Brito
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Sao Francisco Xavier, 524, Sala 4002, CEP 20550-013, Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Medina
- Director of Basel Convention Coordinating Centre, Stockholm Convention Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean, Hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Iain Stenhouse
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Elsie Sunderland
- Harvard University, Pierce Hall 127, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Akinori Takeuchi
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, Health and Environmental Risk Division, 16-2 Onogawa Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Tim Tear
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Claudia Vega
- Centro de Innovaccion Cientifica Amazonica (CINCIA), Jiron Ucayali 750, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17001, Peru
| | - Simon Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, N-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Pianpian Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Symon TE, Murillo-Cisneros DA, Hernández-Camacho CJ, O'Hara TM, Taylor RJ, Rosado-Berrios CA, Vázquez-Medina JP, Zenteno-Savín T. Mercury and selenium concentrations in lanugo of free-ranging California sea lions in the southern Gulf of California, Mexico. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 197:115712. [PMID: 37922756 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Total mercury ([THg]) and selenium ([TSe]) concentrations were determined in California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) lanugo from the Gulf of California in 2021 and 2022. Relationships with sex, morphometrics, and year were evaluated. Following toxicological thresholds of concern for piscivorous mammals, most pups had a [THg] < 10 ppm, one pup (2021) had a [THg] > 20 ppm, no pups had a [THg] > 30 ppm. Females had significantly higher [TSe] than males; sex did not influence [THg]. [THg] and [TSe] in 2022 were significantly higher in the general population and male cohorts compared to 2021. Significant negative correlations were observed between [THg], [TSe], and morphometrics (2021). These results indicate that, compared to other pinniped species, regional California sea lions may have a decreased likelihood of experiencing Hg-related adverse health effects. Year-related changes in element concentrations suggest continued monitoring of this population to assess pinniped, environmental, and potentially, human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T E Symon
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S. C (CIBNOR), 23096 La Paz, Mexico.
| | - D A Murillo-Cisneros
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S. C (CIBNOR), 23096 La Paz, Mexico.
| | - C J Hernández-Camacho
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 23096 La Paz, Mexico.
| | - T M O'Hara
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843, United States of America.
| | - R J Taylor
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843, United States of America.
| | - C A Rosado-Berrios
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843, United States of America.
| | - J P Vázquez-Medina
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 94720 Berkeley, United States of America.
| | - T Zenteno-Savín
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S. C (CIBNOR), 23096 La Paz, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ryazanov SD, Fomin SV, Kalinchuk VV. Mercury content in the fur of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) from the Commander Islands. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 188:114638. [PMID: 36706549 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a keystone species in the ecosystem which is currently in depression in Russia. The objectives of this study were to: (1) establish if the sea otters from the Commander Islands have hazardous levels of mercury (Hg) in their fur; (2) assess Hg pollution in sea otters during a period of high abundance and population depression; (3) identify the age and sex differences in sea otters by Hg content. The sea otters were classified from no to low risk for Hg health effects. Differences in Hg content during periods of low and high population size were not statistically significant. Hg concentrations in adult sea otters were significantly higher than in the young, and higher in males than in females. This study presents the first data on Hg content in sea otters' fur and the first estimate of Hg contamination for the Commander Islands population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergey D Ryazanov
- V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS, 43, Baltiiskaya Str., Vladivostok 690041, Russia.
| | - Sergey V Fomin
- Kamchatka Branch of the Pacific Geographical Institute, FEB RAS, 6, Partizanskaya Str., Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky 683000, Russia
| | - Viktor V Kalinchuk
- V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS, 43, Baltiiskaya Str., Vladivostok 690041, Russia.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Taylor S, Terkildsen M, McQuilty R, Lee D, Wing-Simpson A, Gray R. Non-essential heavy metals and protective effects of selenium against mercury toxicity in endangered Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) pups with hookworm disease. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 169:107521. [PMID: 36148712 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The endangered Australian sea lion, Neophoca cinerea, faces ongoing population decline. Identification of key threats to N. cinerea population recovery, including disease and pollutants, is an objective of the species' recovery plan. Previous studies have identified Uncinaria sanguinis, an intestinal nematode, as a significant cause of disease and mortality in N. cinerea pups. Given the impact of heavy metals on the immune response, investigation of these pollutants is critical. To this end, the concentrations of arsenic (As), total mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb) and selenium (Se) were determined in blood collected from N. cinerea pups sampled during the 2017/18, 2019 and 2020/21 breeding seasons at Seal Bay Conservation Park, South Australia. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in Hg, As, Cr, and Se concentrations and molar ratio of Se:Hg were seen between breeding seasons. Pup age, maternal parity and inter-individual foraging behaviour were considered factors driving these differences. The concentrations of Hg (357, 198 and 241 µg/L) and As (225, 834 and 608 µg/L) were high in 2017/18, 2019 and 2020/21 respectively with Hg concentrations in the blood of N. cinerea pups above toxicological thresholds reported for marine mammals. The concentration of Se (1332, 647, 763 µg/L) and molar ratio of Se:Hg (9.47, 7.98 and 6.82) were low compared to other pinniped pups, indicating potential vulnerability of pups to the toxic effects of Hg. Significant (p < 0.05) negative associations for Pb and Cd with several red blood cell parameters suggest they could be exacerbating the anaemia caused by hookworm disease. Temporal (age-related) changes in element concentrations were also seen, such that pup age needs to be considered when interpreting bioaccumulation patterns. Further investigation of the role of elevated heavy metal concentrations on N. cinerea pup health, disease and development is recommended, particularly with respect to immunological impacts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shannon Taylor
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | | | - Robert McQuilty
- Department of Chemical Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Sydney 2050, Australia
| | - David Lee
- Department of Chemical Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Sydney 2050, Australia
| | - Aileen Wing-Simpson
- Department of Chemical Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Sydney 2050, Australia
| | - Rachael Gray
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Fernández-Robledo A, Lares ML, Schramm-Urrutia Y. Trace metal concentrations in California sea lions from rookeries exposed to different levels of coastal urbanization in Baja California, Mexico. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 184:114163. [PMID: 36182783 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Concentrations of total mercury, total selenium, and cadmium ([THg], [TSe], [Cd]) were determined in hair of California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) pups from four islands of the Gulf of California and the Baja California Pacific coast (NG, CG, NP, and CP) to identify geographical differences and the effect of Se against Hg toxicity (TSe:THg molar ratio). THg displayed a strong north-south trend for both ecoregions, while TSe presented a significantly high concentration only for CG. TSe:THg molar ratios decreased when [THg] increased, with the lowest ratios presenting in NG pups, in which [THg] exceeded toxicological thresholds of concern. [Cd] presented similar values at all study sites except CG, which presented the lowest level. The present study shows that proximity to urbanized coastal areas has a strong influence on [THg] in pups, while [TSe] and [Cd] are probably more related to the physiological requirements of the species, and environmental conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Fernández-Robledo
- Departamento de Oceanografía Biológica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Km. 107 Carretera Tijuana-Ensenada, Ensenada 22860, Baja California, Mexico
| | - M L Lares
- Departamento de Oceanografía Biológica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Km. 107 Carretera Tijuana-Ensenada, Ensenada 22860, Baja California, Mexico.
| | - Y Schramm-Urrutia
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, Carretera Transpeninsular Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3917, Fraccionamiento Playitas, 22860 Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Matias RS, Guímaro HR, Bustamante P, Seco J, Chipev N, Fragão J, Tavares S, Ceia FR, Pereira ME, Barbosa A, Xavier JC. Mercury biomagnification in an Antarctic food web of the Antarctic Peninsula. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 304:119199. [PMID: 35337890 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Under the climate change context, warming Southern Ocean waters may allow mercury (Hg) to become more bioavailable to the Antarctic marine food web (i.e., ice-stored Hg release and higher methylation rates by microorganisms), whose biomagnification processes are poorly documented. Biomagnification of Hg in the food web of the Antarctic Peninsula, one of the world's fastest-warming regions, was examined using carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope ratios for estimating feeding habitat and trophic levels, respectively. The stable isotope signatures and total Hg (T-Hg) concentrations were measured in Antarctic krill Euphausia superba and several Antarctic predator species, including seabirds (gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua, chinstrap penguins Pygoscelis antarcticus, brown skuas Stercorarius antarcticus, kelp gulls Larus dominicanus, southern giant petrels Macronectes giganteus) and marine mammals (southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina). Significant differences in δ13C values among species were noted with a great overlap between seabird species and M. leonina. As expected, significant differences in δ15N values among species were found due to interspecific variations in diet-related to their trophic position within the marine food web. The lowest Hg concentrations were registered in E. superba (0.007 ± 0.008 μg g-1) and the highest values in M. giganteus (12.090 ± 14.177 μg g-1). Additionally, a significant positive relationship was found between Hg concentrations and trophic levels (reflected by δ15N values), biomagnifying nearly 2 times its concentrations at each level. Our results support that trophic interaction is the major pathway for Hg biomagnification in Southern Ocean ecosystems and warn about an increase in the effects of Hg on long-lived (and high trophic level) Antarctic predators under climate change in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo S Matias
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Hugo R Guímaro
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes, 75005, Paris, France
| | - José Seco
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal; Department of Chemistry and CESAM/REQUIMTE, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal; School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, KY16 9ST, Scotland, United Kingdom; CIVG - Vasco da Gama Research Center, University School Vasco da Gama - EUVG, Coimbra, 3020-210, Portugal
| | - Nesho Chipev
- Central Laboratory of General Ecology, Bulgarian Academy of Science, 2 Yurii Gagarin Street, Sofia, 1113, Bulgaria
| | - Joana Fragão
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sílvia Tavares
- CFE (Centre for Functional Ecology), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, PO Box 3046, 3001-401, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Filipe R Ceia
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Maria E Pereira
- Department of Chemistry and CESAM/REQUIMTE, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Andrés Barbosa
- Departamento de Ecologia Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - José C Xavier
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal; British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Murillo-Cisneros DA, McHuron EA, Zenteno-Savín T, Castellini JM, Field CL, O'Hara TM. Fetal mercury concentrations in central California Pacific harbor seals: Associated drivers and outcomes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 820:153246. [PMID: 35065116 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a well-known toxicant in wildlife and humans. High total Hg concentrations ([THg]) have been reported in central California harbor seals Phoca vitulina richardii. We evaluated the effects of presence/absence of early natal coat (lanugo), year (2012 to 2017), sex, stranding location, and trophic ecology (ẟ13C and ẟ15N values) on hair [THg] along coastal central California. Also examined were [THg] effects on growth rates of pups in rehabilitation and probability of release (e.g., successful rehabilitation). The [THg] ranged from 0.46-81.98 mg kg-1 dw, and ẟ15N and ẟ13C ranged from 13.6-21.5‰, and -17.2 to -13.0‰, respectively. Stranding location, year, and presence of lanugo coat were important factors explaining variation in [THg]. Seals from Sonoma and San Mateo County had higher [THg] than other locations. Seals with full or partial lanugo coat had lower [THg]. Seals from 2016 and 2017 had higher [THg] than those from 2015. Hair [THg] exceeded lower and upper toxicological thresholds (>20 mg kg-1 by year (5.88% to 23.53%); >30 mg kg-1 (0% to 12.31%)) with a pronounced increase from 2015 to 2016. Pups in 2017 had significantly higher odds ratio of [THg] above 20 mg kg-1 than pups of 2015, and pups in 2016 had significantly higher odds ratio than those from 2013 and 2015 (similar when using 30 mg kg-1). Pups in Sonoma County had the highest odds ratio for [THg] in lanugo above 20 mg kg-1. ẟ15N values were higher in 2015-2017, particularly relative to 2014, probably associated with the El Niño event. The [THg] was not a good predictor for probability of release and mass-specific growth rates in captivity. Further investigation of temporal trends of [THg] in harbor seals is warranted given the relatively high percentage of samples exceeding threshold values, particularly in the most recent sampling years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela A Murillo-Cisneros
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Planeación Ambiental y Conservación, Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23096, Mexico
| | - Elizabeth A McHuron
- Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, 3737 Brooklyn Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98195-5672, USA
| | - Tania Zenteno-Savín
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Planeación Ambiental y Conservación, Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23096, Mexico.
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2141 Koyokuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
| | - Cara L Field
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Bilingual Laboratory of Toxicology, Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kennedy SN, Keogh M, Levin M, Castellini JM, Lian M, Fadely BS, Rea LD, O'Hara TM. Regional variations and relationships among cytokine profiles, white blood cell counts, and blood mercury concentrations in Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) pups. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 775:144894. [PMID: 33631572 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Steller sea lion (SSL) population west of 144°W longitude experienced a significant population decline. While there appears to be a stable or increasing population trend in rookeries in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and Southeast Alaska (SEA), some rookeries within the Aleutian Islands (AI) have failed to recover. Previous studies found regional differences in whole blood total mercury concentrations ([THg]) showing more than 20% of AI pups had [THg] above critical thresholds for increased risk of immunological effects and other adverse outcomes. Measurements of immune cell-signaling proteins can be used to evaluate the immune status of marine mammals in relation to [THg]. We compared serum cytokine and chemokine concentrations in pups among regions (AI, eastern GOA, SEA), and examined associations among cytokines, chemokines, white blood cell (WBC) counts, and [THg]. Considering liver is an important target organ for mercury and immune protein synthesis we additionally examined the relationship of [THg] with liver-related enzymes serum aspartate (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). We observed regional differences in cytokine and chemokine measurements and immune protein associations. There was a positive association between total WBC counts and [THg] in AI pups, whereas a negative association between lymphocytes and [THg] in SEA pups. These findings may indicate regional variation in proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic cells, differences in immune system development, and/or a difference in antigenic stimuli. No associations between [THg] and cytokines, chemokines, AST or ALT were found. Observed regional differences in cytokine and chemokine milieu during gestational and early development in SSL pups could lead to an imbalance in cell differentiation that could impact immunological resiliency in juvenile and adult life stages. We report concentration ranges of a suite of cytokines and chemokines which may prove to be a useful metric for ecotoxicology and risk assessment studies in SSLs and other wildlife.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie N Kennedy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA; Harvard Medical School and Division of Gastroenterology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Mandy Keogh
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Juneau, AK, USA.
| | - Milton Levin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
| | - Marianne Lian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA; Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
| | - Brian S Fadely
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Lorrie D Rea
- Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA; Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Lian M, Field CL, van Wijngaarden E, Rios C, Castellini JM, Greig DJ, Rea LD, Coleman DJ, Thomson CE, Gulland FMD, O'Hara TM. Assessment of clinical outcomes associated with mercury concentrations in harbor seal pups (Phoca vitulina richardii) in central California. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 758:143686. [PMID: 33279198 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Monomethyl mercury (MeHg+) from the diet can cause mild to severe neurotoxicosis in fish-eating mammals. Chronic and low-level in utero exposure also can be neurotoxic, as documented in laboratory animal studies and epidemiologic investigations. In free-ranging animals, it is challenging to study low-level exposure related neurotoxicosis, and few studies have investigated the relationship between mercury (Hg) and adverse outcomes in wild populations. Relative to Hg concentrations on admission we evaluated different types of behaviors for 267 Pacific harbor seal (HS; Phoca vitulina richardii) pups at The Marine Mammal Center from 2015 to 2019 during rehabilitation after stranding and maternal separation. Admitted HS pups underwent a clinical exam; including sex and weight determination, and hair (partly lanugo grown in utero) and blood samples were collected for total Hg concentration ([THg]) determination. All pups were monitored weekly (behavior assessments included response to tactile stimulation, movement, swimming, interactions with other seals, hand feeding, and feeding independently), and days in rehabilitation and survival were recorded. There was a significant negative correlation between [THg] and responses to tactile stimulation and movements, measured in both hair and whole blood (p < 0.05). This relationship was found both during the intensive care unit (ICU) stage, and during the pool stage of rehabilitation. Additionally, there was a significant association between greater [THg] and number of days spent in rehabilitation, although there was no relationship between [THg] and survival. There was a significant sex difference, with greater [THg] in female pups, which contrasts with previously published findings in juvenile and adult harbor seals. Our findings support small, but significant associations between gestational THg exposure and clinical effects for tactile sensory response and movement, and longer rehabilitation durations for HS pups, although there was considerable variability among animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Lian
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2141 Koyokuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 900 Yukon Dr Rm. 194, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6160, USA.
| | - Cara L Field
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA
| | - Edwin van Wijngaarden
- University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Carlos Rios
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2141 Koyokuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
| | - Denise J Greig
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA
| | - Lorrie D Rea
- Water and Environmental Research Center, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1764 Tanana Loop, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Denver J Coleman
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA
| | - Christine E Thomson
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2141 Koyokuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA; Animal Referral Hospital Brisbane, Sinnamon Park, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Frances M D Gulland
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2141 Koyokuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA; Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Rea LD, Castellini JM, Avery JP, Fadely BS, Burkanov VN, Rehberg MJ, O'Hara TM. Regional variations and drivers of mercury and selenium concentrations in Steller sea lions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 744:140787. [PMID: 32717470 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) can be neurotoxic to mammals and impact reproduction, whereas selenium (Se) is an important antioxidant known to ameliorate some adverse effects of Hg. Total Hg concentrations ([THg]) were measured in lanugo (pelage grown in utero) of 812 Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) pups across Alaska and Russia to assess fetal exposure during late gestation. The molar ratio of total Se to THg (TSe:THg) was determined in whole blood collected from 291 pups. Stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen were measured in sections of vibrissae (whiskers, n = 498) and in lanugo (n = 480) of pups grown during late gestation to track diet variations among adult females that can drive Hg and Se exposure during this critical fetal development period. Lanugo [THg] ranged from 1.4 to 73.7 μg/g dry weight with the lowest median [THg] in Southeast Alaska. Pups from the Western Aleutian Islands had higher median lanugo [THg] than pups from other metapopulations in Alaska. Over 25% of pups in the Western Aleutian Islands had [THg] above published risk thresholds (20 μg/g) for other mammals. Whole blood molar TSe:THg was significantly lower in the Western Aleutian Islands and in some parts of the Central Aleutian Islands with higher molar ratios found in the Eastern Aleutian Islands and Central Gulf of Alaska. This suggests a limitation on potential protective functions of Se in the western regions with the highest relative [THg]. The Central Aleutian Island pups with [THg] over 20 μg/g had higher δ15N ratios than pups with lower [THg] suggesting dams consuming higher trophic level prey is a key driver for Hg exposure. However, regional differences likely reflect variability in diet of the dam during gestation and in Hg food web dynamics between oceanic regimes east and west of key passes in the Aleutian Islands.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L D Rea
- Institute of Northern Engineering, Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA; Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Anchorage, AK 99518, USA.
| | - J M Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
| | - J P Avery
- Institute of Northern Engineering, Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
| | - B S Fadely
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA 98115, USA.
| | - V N Burkanov
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA 98115, USA; Kamchatka Branch of the Pacific Geographical Institute, Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 6 Partizanskaya Street, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky 683000, Russia.
| | - M J Rehberg
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Anchorage, AK 99518, USA.
| | - T M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA; Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Peterson SH, Ackerman JT, Hartman CA, Casazza ML, Feldheim CL, Herzog MP. Mercury exposure in mammalian mesopredators inhabiting a brackish marsh. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 273:115808. [PMID: 33497946 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Bioaccumulation of environmental contaminants in mammalian predators can serve as an indicator of ecosystem health. We examined mercury concentrations of raccoons (Procyon lotor; n = 37 individuals) and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis; n = 87 individuals) in Suisun Marsh, California, a large brackish marsh that is characterized by contiguous tracts of tidal marsh and seasonally impounded wetlands. Mean (standard error; range) total mercury concentrations in adult hair grown from 2015 to 2018 were 28.50 μg/g dw (3.05 μg/g dw; range: 4.46-81.01 μg/g dw) in raccoons and 4.85 μg/g dw (0.54 μg/g dw; range: 1.53-27.02 μg/g dw) in striped skunks. We reviewed mammalian hair mercury concentrations in the literature and raccoon mercury concentrations in Suisun Marsh were among the highest observed for wild mammals. Although striped skunk hair mercury concentrations were 83% lower than raccoons, they were higher than proposed background levels for mercury in mesopredator hair (1-5 μg/g). Hair mercury concentrations in skunks and raccoons were not related to animal size, but mercury concentrations were higher in skunks in poorer body condition. Large inter-annual differences in hair mercury concentrations suggest that methylmercury exposure to mammalian predators varied among years. Mercury concentrations of raccoon hair grown in 2017 were 2.7 times greater than hair grown in 2015, 1.7 times greater than hair grown in 2016, and 1.6 times greater than hair grown in 2018. Annual mean raccoon and skunk hair mercury concentrations increased with wetland habitat area. Furthermore, during 2017, raccoon hair mercury concentrations increased with the proportion of raccoon home ranges that was wetted habitat, as quantified using global positioning system (GPS) collars. The elevated mercury concentrations we observed in raccoons and skunks suggest that other wildlife at similar or higher trophic positions may also be exposed to elevated methylmercury bioaccumulation in brackish marshes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah H Peterson
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA.
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - C Alex Hartman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - Michael L Casazza
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - Cliff L Feldheim
- California Department of Water Resources, 3500 Industrial Blvd #131, West Sacramento, CA 95691, USA
| | - Mark P Herzog
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Chételat J, Ackerman JT, Eagles-Smith CA, Hebert CE. Methylmercury exposure in wildlife: A review of the ecological and physiological processes affecting contaminant concentrations and their interpretation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 711:135117. [PMID: 31831233 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) can result in detrimental health effects in wildlife. With advances in ecological indicators and analytical techniques for measurement of MeHg in a variety of tissues, numerous processes have been identified that can influence MeHg concentrations in wildlife. This review presents a synthesis of theoretical principals and applied information for measuring MeHg exposure and interpreting MeHg concentrations in wildlife. Mercury concentrations in wildlife are the net result of ecological processes influencing dietary exposure combined with physiological processes that regulate assimilation, transformation, and elimination. Therefore, consideration of both physiological and ecological processes should be integrated when formulating biomonitoring strategies. Ecological indicators, particularly stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, compound-specific stable isotopes, and fatty acids, can be effective tools to evaluate dietary MeHg exposure. Animal species differ in their physiological capacity for MeHg elimination, and animal tissues can be inert or physiologically active, act as sites of storage, transformation, or excretion of MeHg, and vary in the timing of MeHg exposure they represent. Biological influences such as age, sex, maternal transfer, and growth or fasting are also relevant for interpretation of tissue MeHg concentrations. Wildlife tissues that represent current or near-term bioaccumulation and in which MeHg is the predominant mercury species (such as blood and eggs) are most effective for biomonitoring ecosystems and understanding landscape drivers of MeHg exposure. Further research is suggested to critically evaluate the use of keratinized external tissues to measure MeHg bioaccumulation, particularly for less-well studied wildlife such as reptiles and terrestrial mammals. Suggested methods are provided to effectively use wildlife for quantifying patterns and drivers of MeHg bioaccumulation over time and space, as well as for assessing the potential risk and toxicological effects of MeHg on wildlife.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada.
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA 95620, United States
| | - Collin A Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, United States
| | - Craig E Hebert
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Keogh MJ, Gastaldi A, Charapata P, Melin S, Fadely BS. Stress-related and reproductive hormones in hair from three north Pacific otariid species: Steller sea lions, California sea lions and northern fur seals. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa069. [PMID: 32843968 PMCID: PMC7437363 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Assessing the physiological impact of stressors in pinnipeds is logistically challenging, and many hormones are altered by capture and handling, limiting the utility of metabolically active tissues. Hair is increasingly being used to investigate stress-related and reproductive hormones in wildlife populations due to less-invasive collection methods, being metabolically inert once grown and containing multiple biomarkers of ecological interest. We validated enzyme immunoassays for measuring aldosterone, cortisol, corticosterone, and testosterone in lanugo (natal hair grown in utero) samples collected from Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), and northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus). We applied laboratory validation methods including recovery of added mass, parallelism and dilution linearity. We found no effects due to differences in alcohol- versus detergent-based cleaning methods. Further, there were no significant differences in hormone concentrations in hair samples collected immediately after the molt and the subsequent samples collected over 1 year, indicating steroid hormones are stable once deposited into pinniped hair. We found no sex differences in any hormone concentrations, likely due to the lanugo being grown in utero and influenced by maternal hormone concentrations. For Steller sea lion and California sea lion pups, we found hormone concentrations significantly differed between rookeries, which warrants future research. Hair provides a novel tissue to explore the intrinsic or extrinsic drivers behind hormone measurements in otariids, which can be paired with multiple health-related metrics to further investigate possible drivers of physiological stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mandy J Keogh
- Division of Wildlife Conservation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, P.O. Box 110024 Douglas, AK 99811-0024, USA
- Corresponding author:
| | - Angela Gastaldi
- Division of Wildlife Conservation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 1300 College Road, Fairbanks, AK 99701, USA
| | - Patrick Charapata
- Division of Wildlife Conservation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 1300 College Road, Fairbanks, AK 99701, USA
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, One Bear Place, Waco, TX 67679, USA
| | - Sharon Melin
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
| | - Brian S Fadely
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
HAIR, WHOLE BLOOD, AND BLOOD-SOAKED CELLULOSE PAPER-BASED RISK ASSESSMENT OF MERCURY CONCENTRATIONS IN STRANDED CALIFORNIA PINNIPEDS. J Wildl Dis 2019. [DOI: 10.7589/2018-11-276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
15
|
Ebmer D, Navarrete MJ, Muñoz P, Flores LM, Gärtner U, Taubert A, Hermosilla C. Antarctophthirus microchir infestation in synanthropic South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens) males diagnosed by a novel non-invasive method. Parasitol Res 2019; 118:1353-1361. [PMID: 30868295 PMCID: PMC6478641 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06273-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Antarctophthirus microchir is a sucking louse species belonging to the family Echinophthiriidae and has been reported to parasitize all species of the subfamily Otariinae, the sea lions. Former studies on this ectoparasite mainly required fixation, immobilization, or death of host species and especially examinations of adult male sea lions are still very rare. Between March and May 2018, adult individuals of a unique “urban” bachelor group of South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) living directly in the city of Valdivia, Chile, were studied regarding their ectoparasite infestation status. For first time, a non-invasive method in the form of a lice comb screwed on a telescopic rod and grounded with adhesive tape was used for sample taking process. Overall, during combing different stages of A. microchir were detected in 4/5 O. flavescens individuals, especially at the junction between the back and hind flippers. Our findings represent the first report of A. microchir infesting individuals of this synanthropic colony and fulfilling complete life cycle in a sea lion group despite inhabiting freshwater and in absence of females/pups. Our “telescopic lice comb apparatus” offers a new strategy to collect different stages of ectoparasites and a range of epidermal material, such as fur coat hair and superficial skin tissue for a broad spectrum of research fields in wildlife sciences in an unmolested and stress reduced manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Ebmer
- Institute of Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Schubertstr. 81, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Maria José Navarrete
- Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Pamela Muñoz
- Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Luis Miguel Flores
- Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Ulrich Gärtner
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35385, Giessen, Germany
| | - Anja Taubert
- Institute of Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Schubertstr. 81, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Carlos Hermosilla
- Institute of Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Schubertstr. 81, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Peterson SH, Ackerman JT, Crocker DE, Costa DP. Foraging and fasting can influence contaminant concentrations in animals: an example with mercury contamination in a free-ranging marine mammal. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 285:rspb.2017.2782. [PMID: 29436501 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Large fluctuations in animal body mass in relation to life-history events can influence contaminant concentrations and toxicological risk. We quantified mercury concentrations in adult northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) before and after lengthy at sea foraging trips (n = 89) or fasting periods on land (n = 27), and showed that mercury concentrations in blood and muscle changed in response to these events. The highest blood mercury concentrations were observed after the breeding fast, whereas the highest muscle mercury concentrations were observed when seals returned to land to moult. Mean female blood mercury concentrations decreased by 30% across each of the two annual foraging trips, demonstrating a foraging-associated dilution of mercury concentrations as seals gained mass. Blood mercury concentrations increased by 103% and 24% across the breeding and moulting fasts, respectively, demonstrating a fasting-associated concentration of mercury as seals lost mass. In contrast to blood, mercury concentrations in female's muscle increased by 19% during the post-breeding foraging trip and did not change during the post-moulting foraging trip. While fasting, female muscle mercury concentrations increased 26% during breeding, but decreased 14% during moulting. Consequently, regardless of exposure, an animal's contaminant concentration can be markedly influenced by their annual life-history events.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah H Peterson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA .,Institute of Marine Science, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.,US Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, Dixon, CA, USA
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- US Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, Dixon, CA, USA
| | - Daniel E Crocker
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, USA
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
REGIONAL AND AGE-RELATED VARIATIONS IN HAPTOGLOBIN CONCENTRATIONS IN STELLER SEA LIONS (EUMETOPIAS JUBATUS) FROM ALASKA, USA. J Wildl Dis 2019; 55:91-104. [DOI: 10.7589/2017-10-257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
18
|
Trukhin AM, Kalinchuk VV. Hair mercury concentrations in the spotted seal (Phoca largha) pups from the Sea of Japan. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 25:27133-27140. [PMID: 30022391 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-2731-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This publication presents the results of a study of the total mercury (THg) concentration in the fetal hair (lanugo) of the young spotted seals inhabiting the Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan. We analyzed samples from pups that were collected in 2014-2017 at the seal breeding grounds. The concentration of total mercury was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The concentration of THg ranged from 1.52 to 6.68 μg/g dry weight. Mercury concentration in the lanugo exceeds that found in the environment (bottom sediments, sea water) and in other animals inhabiting the Bay. At the same time, the level was generally lower than that found in young seals of most other pinniped species (Steller sea lion Eumetopias jubatus, Northern fur seal Callorhinus ursinus, Harbor seal Phoca vitulina richardsi, Northern elephant seal Mirounga angustirostris, California sea lion Zalophus californianus) from the North Pacific.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexey M Trukhin
- V.I.Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS, 43, Baltiyskaya Street, Vladivostok, Russia, 6900041.
| | - Viktor V Kalinchuk
- V.I.Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS, 43, Baltiyskaya Street, Vladivostok, Russia, 6900041
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Treu G, Krone O, Unnsteinsdóttir ER, Greenwood AD, Czirják GÁ. Correlations between hair and tissue mercury concentrations in Icelandic arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 619-620:1589-1598. [PMID: 29107366 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.10.143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Revised: 10/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/14/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring organic pollutants in wildlife is a common approach to evaluate environmental health, chemical exposure and to make hazard assessments. However, pollutant concentrations measured from different tissue types among studies impede direct comparisons of levels and toxicity benchmarks among species and regions. For example, mercury (Hg) is a metal of both natural and anthropogenic origin which poses health risks for marine and arctic biota in particular. Although hair is recognized as the least invasive sample type for Hg exposure measurement in wildlife, measurements in previous studies have used different tissues among individuals and species. This lack of tissue type consistency hinders cross study comparisons. Therefore to systematically evaluate the use of hair in ecotoxicological studies, total mercury (THg) concentrations measured from hair were compared to values obtained from liver and kidney in 35 Icelandic arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus). THg concentrations varied considerably among tissues with hair and kidney levels generally lower than in liver. Nevertheless, significant correlations among tissue types were observed. THg values in hair were predictive for liver (R2=0.61) and kidney THg levels (R2=0.51) and liver values were a good predictor of THg in kidney (R2=0.77). We provide further evidence that non-invasively collected hair samples reflect the THg levels of internal tissues. We present equations derived from multiple linear regression models that can be used to relate THg levels among tissue types in order to extrapolate THg values from hair to soft tissues. Using these equations, we compare the results of previous studies monitoring THg levels in different tissues of arctic foxes from various regions of the Arctic. Our findings support that hair is a suitable sample matrix for ecotoxicological studies of arctic predators and may be applied in both wildlife welfare and conservation contexts for arctic vulpine species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Treu
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Oliver Krone
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Alex D Greenwood
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gábor Á Czirják
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Ruan Y, Lam JCW, Zhang X, Lam PKS. Temporal Changes and Stereoisomeric Compositions of 1,2,5,6,9,10-Hexabromocyclododecane and 1,2-Dibromo-4-(1,2-dibromoethyl)cyclohexane in Marine Mammals from the South China Sea. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:2517-2526. [PMID: 29397695 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b05387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Stereoisomeric compositions of 1,2,5,6,9,10-hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and 1,2-dibromo-4-(1,2-dibromoethyl)cyclohexane (TBECH) were investigated in the blubber of two species of marine mammals, finless porpoises ( Neophocaena phocaenoides) and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins ( Sousa chinensis), from the South China Sea between 2005 and 2015. The concentrations of ΣHBCD in samples of porpoise ( n = 59) and dolphin ( n = 32) ranged from 97.2 to 6,260 ng/g lipid weight (lw) and from 447 to 45,800 ng/g lw, respectively, while those of ΣTBECH were both roughly 2 orders of magnitude lower. A significant increasing trend of ΣHBCD was found in dolphin blubber over the past decade. The diastereomeric profiles exhibited an absolute predominance of α-HBCD (mostly >90%), while the proportions of four TBECH diastereomers in the samples appeared similar. A preferential enrichment of the (-)-enantiomers of α-, β-, and γ-HBCD was found in most blubber samples. Interestingly, the body lengths of porpoises showed a significant negative correlation with the enantiomer fractions of α-HBCD. Significant racemic deviations were also observed for α-, γ-, and δ-TBECH enantiomeric pairs. This is the first report of the presence of TBECH enantiomers in the environment. The estimated hazard quotient indicates that there is a potential risk to dolphins due to HBCD exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuefei Ruan
- State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution (SKLMP), Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for the Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity , City University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong SAR , China
| | - James C W Lam
- State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution (SKLMP), Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for the Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity , City University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong SAR , China
- Department of Science and Environmental Studies , The Education University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong SAR , China
| | - Xiaohua Zhang
- Department of Science and Environmental Studies , The Education University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong SAR , China
| | - Paul K S Lam
- State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution (SKLMP), Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for the Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity , City University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong SAR , China
- Department of Chemistry , City University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong SAR , China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Peterson SH, Ackerman JT, Costa DP. Mercury correlations among blood, muscle, and hair of northern elephant seals during the breeding and molting fasts. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2016; 35:2103-2110. [PMID: 26757244 DOI: 10.1002/etc.3365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Revised: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/07/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) biomonitoring and toxicological risk assessments for marine mammals commonly sample different tissues, making comparisons with toxicity benchmarks and among species and regions difficult. Few studies have examined how life-history events, such as fasting, influence the relationship between total Hg (THg) concentrations in different tissues. The authors evaluated the relationships between THg concentrations in blood, muscle, and hair of female and male northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) at the start and end of the breeding and molting fasts. The relationships between tissues varied among tissue pairs and differed by sampling period and sex. Blood and muscle were generally related at all time periods; however, hair, an inert tissue, did not strongly represent the metabolically active tissues (blood and muscle) at all times of year. The strongest relationships between THg concentrations in hair and those in blood or muscle were observed during periods of active hair growth (end of the molting period) or during time periods when internal body conditions were similar to those when the hair was grown (end of the breeding fast). The results indicate that THg concentrations in blood or muscle can be translated to the other tissue type using the equations developed but that THg concentrations in hair were generally a poor index of internal THg concentrations except during the end of fasting periods. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2103-2110. © 2016 SETAC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah H Peterson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- Dixon Field Station, Western Ecological Research Center, US Geological Survey, Dixon, California, USA
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
McHuron EA, Peterson SH, Ackerman JT, Melin SR, Harris JD, Costa DP. Effects of Age, Colony, and Sex on Mercury Concentrations in California Sea Lions. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2016; 70:46-55. [PMID: 26259982 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-015-0201-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We measured total mercury (THg) concentrations in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and examined how concentrations varied with age class, colony, and sex. Because Hg exposure is primarily via diet, we used nitrogen (δ (15)N) and carbon (δ (13)C) stable isotopes to determine if intraspecific differences in THg concentrations could be explained by feeding ecology. Blood and hair were collected from 21 adult females and 57 juveniles from three colonies in central and southern California (San Nicolas, San Miguel, and Año Nuevo Islands). Total Hg concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 0.31 μg g(-1) wet weight (ww) in blood and 0.74 to 21.00 μg g(-1) dry weight (dw) in hair. Adult females had greater mean THg concentrations than juveniles in blood (0.15 vs. 0.03 μg(-1) ww) and hair (10.10 vs. 3.25 μg(-1) dw). Age class differences in THg concentrations did not appear to be driven by trophic level or habitat type because there were no differences in δ (15)N or δ (13)C values between adults and juveniles. Total Hg concentrations in adult females were 54 % (blood) and 24 % (hair) greater in females from San Miguel than females from San Nicolas Island, which may have been because sea lions from the two islands foraged in different areas. For juveniles, we detected some differences in THg concentrations with colony and sex, although these were likely due to sampling effects and not ecological differences. Overall, THg concentrations in California sea lions were within the range documented for other marine mammals and were generally below toxicity benchmarks for fish-eating wildlife.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A McHuron
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.
| | - Sarah H Peterson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - Sharon R Melin
- National Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98155, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Harris
- National Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98155, USA
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| |
Collapse
|