A century of mercury: Ecosystem-wide changes drive increasing contamination of a tropical seabird species in the South Atlantic Ocean. (15th April 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cusset, Fanny; Reynolds, S. James; Carravieri, Alice; Amouroux, David; Asensio, Océane; Dickey, Roger C.; Fort, Jérôme; Hughes, B. John; Paiva, Vitor H.; Ramos, Jaime A.; Shearer, Laura; Tessier, Emmanuel; Wearn, Colin P.; Cherel, Yves; Bustamante, Paco
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 323(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-04-15
• Subjects: Feathers -- Hg -- Museum -- Sooty tern -- Stable isotopes -- Temporal monitoring; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121187
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Mercury (Hg) is a highly toxic metal that adversely impacts human and wildlife health. The amount of Hg released globally in the environment has increased steadily since the Industrial Revolution, resulting in growing contamination in biota. Seabirds have been extensively studied to monitor Hg contamination in the world's oceans. Multidecadal increases in seabird Hg contamination have been documented in polar, temperate and subtropical regions, whereas in tropical regions they are largely unknown. Since seabirds accumulate Hg mainly from their diet, their trophic ecology is fundamental in understanding their Hg exposure over time. Here, we used the sooty tern ( Onychoprion fuscatus ), the most abundant tropical seabird, as bioindicator of temporal variations in Hg transfer to marine predators in tropical ecosystems, in response to trophic changes and other potential drivers. Body feathers were sampled from 220 sooty terns, from museum specimens (n = 134) and free-living birds (n = 86) from Ascension Island, in the South Atlantic Ocean, over 145 years (1876–2021). Chemical analyses included (i) total- and methyl-Hg, and (ii) carbon (δ 1 ³C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) stable isotopes, as proxies of foraging habitat and trophic position, respectively, to investigate the relationship between trophic ecology and Hg contamination over time. Despite current regulations on its global emissions, mean Hg concentrations were 58.9% higher in the 2020s (2.0 μg g −1, n = 34) than in the 1920s (1.2 μg g −1, n = 107). Feather Hg concentrations were negatively and positively associated with δ 1 ³C and δ 15 N values, respectively. The sharp decline of 2.9 ‰ in δ 1 ³C values over time indicates ecosystem-wide changes (shifting primary productivity) in the tropical South Atlantic Ocean and can help explain the observed increase in terns' feather Hg concentrations. Overall, this study provides invaluable information on how ecosystem-wide changes can increase Hg contamination of tropical marine predators and reinforces the need for long-term regulations of harmful contaminants at the global scale. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Sooty terns act as bioindicators of Hg temporal trends in the South Atlantic Ocean. Feather Hg concentrations were 59% higher in the 2020s than in the 1920s. Trophic position (δ 1 ⁵N) and feeding habitat (δ 1 ³C) influenced Hg long-term trend. The influence of climate change and fisheries on Hg long-term trend are discussed.