Marine foraging ecology influences mercury bioaccumulation in deep-diving northern elephant seals. 2015

Sarah H Peterson, and Joshua T Ackerman, and Daniel P Costa
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA sarahpeterson23@gmail.com.

Mercury contamination of oceans is prevalent worldwide and methylmercury concentrations in the mesopelagic zone (200-1000 m) are increasing more rapidly than in surface waters. Yet mercury bioaccumulation in mesopelagic predators has been understudied. Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) biannually travel thousands of kilometres to forage within coastal and open-ocean regions of the northeast Pacific Ocean. We coupled satellite telemetry, diving behaviour and stable isotopes (carbon and nitrogen) from 77 adult females, and showed that variability among individuals in foraging location, diving depth and δ(13)C values were correlated with mercury concentrations in blood and muscle. We identified three clusters of foraging strategies, and these resulted in substantially different mercury concentrations: (i) deeper-diving and offshore-foraging seals had the greatest mercury concentrations, (ii) shallower-diving and offshore-foraging seals had intermediate levels, and (iii) coastal and more northerly foraging seals had the lowest mercury concentrations. Additionally, mercury concentrations were lower at the end of the seven-month-long foraging trip (n = 31) than after the two-month- long post-breeding trip (n = 46). Our results indicate that foraging behaviour influences mercury exposure and mesopelagic predators foraging in the northeast Pacific Ocean may be at high risk for mercury bioaccumulation.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008628 Mercury A silver metallic element that exists as a liquid at room temperature. It has the atomic symbol Hg (from hydrargyrum, liquid silver), atomic number 80, and atomic weight 200.59. Mercury is used in many industrial applications and its salts have been employed therapeutically as purgatives, antisyphilitics, disinfectants, and astringents. It can be absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes which leads to MERCURY POISONING. Because of its toxicity, the clinical use of mercury and mercurials is diminishing.
D008767 Methylmercury Compounds Organic compounds in which mercury is attached to a methyl group. Methyl Mercury Compounds,Compounds, Methyl Mercury,Compounds, Methylmercury,Mercury Compounds, Methyl
D010140 Pacific Ocean Body of water between Asia and South America, extending from the Arctic circle to the Equator and from the Equator to the Antarctic.
D011235 Predatory Behavior Instinctual behavior pattern in which food is obtained by killing and consuming other species. Predation,Behavior, Predatory,Predatory Behaviors
D002140 California State bounded on the east by Nevada and Arizona, on the south by Mexico and the Pacific Ocean on the south and west, and on the north by Oregon.
D004242 Diving An activity in which the organism plunges into water. It includes scuba and bell diving. Diving as natural behavior of animals goes here, as well as diving in decompression experiments with humans or animals. Divings
D005260 Female Females
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014874 Water Pollutants, Chemical Chemical compounds which pollute the water of rivers, streams, lakes, the sea, reservoirs, or other bodies of water. Chemical Water Pollutants,Landfill Leachate,Leachate, Landfill,Pollutants, Chemical Water
D046048 Seals, Earless The family Phocidae, suborder PINNIPEDIA, order CARNIVORA, comprising the true seals. They lack external ears and are unable to use their hind flippers to walk. It includes over 18 species including the harp seal, probably the best known seal species in the world. Halichoerus grypus,Mirounga,Pagophilus groenlandicus,Seal, Elephant,Seal, Harp,Seals, True,Phoca groenlandica,Phocidae,Seal, Gray,Earless Seal,Earless Seals,Elephant Seal,Elephant Seals,Gray Seal,Gray Seals,Harp Seal,Harp Seals,Seal, Earless,Seal, True,Seals, Elephant,Seals, Gray,Seals, Harp,True Seal,True Seals

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