Environmental causes and reproductive correlates of mercury contamination in European pond turtles (Emys orbicularis). 2019

Frédéric Beau, and Paco Bustamante, and Bruno Michaud, and François Brischoux
Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CEBC UMR 7372 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France; Réserve Naturelle Nationale de Chérine, Maison de la Nature et de la Réserve, 36290 Saint-Michel-en-Brenne, France. Electronic address: rncherine.frederic@orange.fr.

Assessing Hg contamination in aquatic ecosystems is difficult because wetlands are part of large and complex networks, and potential sources of Hg contamination are highly diverse. To investigate environmental determinants of Hg contamination, we studied one of the largest continental French wetlands structured as a dense network of artificial ponds. Such context allows to investigate the influence of pond characteristics on Hg contamination in an area relatively disconnected from direct sources of pollution. We relied on a bioindicator organism, the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) to assess Hg contamination in a relatively large number of sites (N > 255 turtles from 15 ponds sampled in 2016 and 2017). Non-invasive sampling in the claws of turtles show that Hg concentrations were not related to their sex or size, but we found an effect of age (1.62 ± 0.20 in juveniles and 2.21 ± 0.06 µg g-1 dw in adults), suggesting that turtles do bioaccumulate Hg through their life. Turtle Hg was different between ponds, and we found that pond age and pond usage (draining events linked to pond maintenance) were the main environmental determinants of Hg concentrations in turtles. Finally, and more importantly, our dataset allowed us to highlight potential negative effect of Hg concentrations on the proportion of reproductive females, suggesting an influence of Hg on reproductive mechanisms in this species. This result indicates that Hg contamination, even in absence of direct and strong sources of pollution, may have a critical impact on reproduction and thus the persistence of a long-lived vertebrate.

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.
D012098 Reproduction The total process by which organisms produce offspring. (Stedman, 25th ed) Human Reproductive Index,Human Reproductive Indexes,Reproductive Period,Human Reproductive Indices,Index, Human Reproductive,Indexes, Human Reproductive,Indices, Human Reproductive,Period, Reproductive,Periods, Reproductive,Reproductive Index, Human,Reproductive Indices, Human,Reproductive Periods
D004784 Environmental Monitoring The monitoring of the level of toxins, chemical pollutants, microbial contaminants, or other harmful substances in the environment (soil, air, and water), workplace, or in the bodies of people and animals present in that environment. Monitoring, Environmental,Environmental Surveillance,Surveillance, Environmental
D004787 Environmental Pollution Contamination of the air, bodies of water, or land with substances that are harmful to human health and the environment. Pollution, Environmental,Soil Pollution,Pollution, Soil
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
D014426 Turtles Any reptile including tortoises, fresh water, and marine species of the order Testudines with a body encased in a bony or cartilaginous shell consisting of a top (carapace) and a bottom (plastron) derived from the ribs. Sea Turtles,Terrapins,Tortoises,Sea Turtle,Terrapin,Tortoise,Turtle,Turtle, Sea,Turtles, Sea
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
D053833 Wetlands Environments or habitats at the interface between truly terrestrial ecosystems and truly aquatic systems making them different from each yet highly dependent on both. Adaptations to low soil oxygen characterize many wetland species. Bogs,Mangrove Forests,Mangrove Swamps,Marsh,Marshes,Swamps,Bog,Forest, Mangrove,Forests, Mangrove,Mangrove Forest,Mangrove Swamp,Swamp,Swamp, Mangrove,Swamps, Mangrove,Wetland

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