Mercury Trends in Ringed Seals (Phoca hispida) from the Western Canadian Arctic since 1973: Associations with Length of Ice-Free Season

A. Gaden†, S.H. Ferguson†‡, L. Harwood§, H. Melling and G.A. Stern*†‡
Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, 500 University Crescent, Winnipeg MB, R3T 2N2, Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg MB, R3T 2N6, Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, X1A 1E2, Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Sidney, British Columbia, V8K 4B2, Canada
Environ. Sci. Technol., 2009, 43 (10), pp 3646–3651
DOI: 10.1021/es803293z
Publication Date (Web): March 23, 2009
Copyright © 2009 American Chemical Society
* Corresponding author phone: 204 984 6761; fax: 204 984 2403; e-mail: Gary.Stern@dfo-mpo.gc.ca., †

University of Manitoba.

, ‡

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg.

, §

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Yellowknife.

,

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Sidney.

Water

Abstract

We examined a unique time series of ringed seal (Phoca hispida) samples collected from a single location in the western Canadian Arctic between 1973 and 2007 to test for changes in total mercury (THg) in muscle tissue associated with (1) year and (2) length of ice-free season. We found no temporal trend with muscle THg whereas a curvilinear relationship existed with the length of ice-free season: seals attained higher THg in short (2 months) and long (5 months) ice-free seasons. δ15N and δ13C in muscle tissue did not illustrate significant trends with ice-free days. We estimated that the turnover time of THg in muscle was about twice as long as stable isotope turnover in muscle, possibly explaining the lack of trend with stable isotopes in association with ice-free duration. Our discussion explains how summer environmental conditions may influence the composition of prey (mercury exposure) available to ringed seals. Results offer insight into how marine mammals may respond to directional changes in the Arctic ice-free season.

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History

  • Published In Issue May 15, 2009
  • Article ASAPMarch 23, 2009
  • Received: November 20, 2008
    Revised: February 9, 2009
    Accepted: February 16, 2009

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