Title: Comparing mercury concentrations across a thirty year time span in anadromous and non-anadromous Arctic charr from Labrador, Canada
Abstract: Anadromous and non-anadromous Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) from multiple sample sites in Labrador, Canada were used to investigate possible differences in total mercury concentration ([THg]) between 1977–78 and 2007–09. The mean [THg] of anadromous Arctic charr was 0.03 μg/g wet weight (ww) in 1977–78 and 0.04 μg/g ww in 2007–09, while mean concentrations in non-anadromous conspecifics were 0.18 μg/g ww in 1977–78 and 0.14 μg/g ww in 2007–09. After correcting for the effects of fish age and fork-length, there was no widespread difference in the mean [THg] of anadromous or non-anadromous fish between the two time periods. However, at individual sites sampled during both time periods, [THg] increased, decreased, or did not change. The mean age of sampled fish declined from 9.0 years in 1977–78 to 8.2 years in 2007–09 for anadromous fish, and from 11.7 years to 10.5 years in non-anadromous Arctic charr. Similarly, mean fork-lengths decreased from 450 mm to 417 mm in anadromous and from 402 mm to 335 mm in non-anadromous fish between 1977–78 and 2007–09. The mean annual temperature at four Labrador weather stations increased by 1.6 °C to 2.9 °C between the two sampling periods. The lack of an overall trend in anadromous or non-anadromous Arctic charr [THg] despite warming temperatures that favour increased mercury methylation suggests that regional changes in climate-driven factors have had limited impacts on mercury exposure in Labrador freshwater or marine fish.
Publication Year: 2014
Publication Date: 2014-01-03
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref', 'pubmed']
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Cited By Count: 14
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