Geographic Drivers of Mercury Entry into Aquatic Food Webs Revealed by Mercury Stable Isotopes in Dragonfly Larvae.

ABSTRACT: Atmospheric mercury (Hg) emissions and subsequent transport and deposition are major concerns within protected lands, including national parks, where Hg can bioaccumulate to levels detrimental to human and wildlife health. Despite this risk to biological resources, there is limited understanding of the relative importance of different Hg sources and delivery pathways within the protected regions. Here, we used Hg stable isotope measurements within a single aquatic bioindicator, dragonfly larvae, to determine if these tracers can resolve spatial patterns in Hg sources, delivery mechanisms, and aquatic cycling at a national scale. Mercury isotope values in dragonfly tissues varied among habitat types (e.g., lentic, lotic, and wetland) and geographic location. Photochemical-derived isotope fr

SUBMITTER: Janssen SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11295128 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature