High arctic ponds receiving biotransported nutrients from a nearby seabird colony are also subject to potentially toxic loadings of arsenic, cadmium, and zinc

Abstract

The role of northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) was investigated for the transport of nutrients and trace elements to a series of 10 ponds located along a gradient of seabird influence below a fulmar colony in the high Arctic (Cape Vera, Devon Island, Canada). Phosphorus, Cd, K, Zn, and As were identified as seabird-derived elements, having both a high concentration in fulmar guano and a low concentration in background pond sediments (i.e., a high biogenic enrichment factor). Fluxes of these elements were highest in the pond closest to the colony and declined exponentially with distance. Sediments in several of the ponds exceeded Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life set for As (5.9 mg/kg) and Cd (0.6 mg/kg), and in the pond closest to the colony, which receives the most seabird subsidies, sediments contained 343 mg/kg Zn, exceeding the threshold for probable adverse biological effects. Although nutrient subsidies from fulmars create an Arctic oasis at Cape Vera, which supports a variety of flora and fauna, the same biological transport pathway puts at risk some of these species by creating sedimentary As, Cd, and Zn concentrations at this remote site similar to those usually observed only near industrialized locations.

The Influence of Seabirds on the Concentration of Selected Heavy Metals in Organic Soil on the Bellsund Coast, Western Spitsbergen

“…This is indicated by the highest scores of Zn, Mn, Cu, and Cd contents in the peat under the avian colony, which is the direct receiver of those inputs (the second point of the transect), and is in agreement with other studies (e.g., Brimble et al, 2009;Michelutti et al, 2009). Moreover, the surface part of the peatland, not subjected to the direct influence of birds, exhibited lower contents of all heavy metals in relation to the substrate under the avian colony (with the exception of Pb).…”

“…In the context of seabirds' influence, attention is especially drawn to the low correlation of most metals with individual forms of P-generally only Cu and Zn, and Cd to a smaller extent, correlate with P. The dependence of these elements on seabirds' influence was already indicated by researchers (Godzik, 1991;Brimble et al, 2009;Mallory et al, 2015). Seabirds' activity increases the amount of P in soils (Ziółek and Melke, 2014), so there is a clear impact of seabirds on the concentration of elements mentioned above.…”

“…In the bio-transportation of organic materials, transportation of pollutants and their concentration in the proximity of breeding areas can also be observed (Blais et al, 2005;Brimble et al, 2009;Mallory et al, 2015). Seabirds are the main source of the terrestrial environment's pollution because their food consists of organisms that are high in the food chain.…”

Contamination by trace metals and their trophic transfer to the biota in a Mediterranean coastal system affected by gull guano

“…Trace metal concentrations (means ± SD; mg kg −1 dw) of (a) organic matter (OM) sources, (b) invertebrates and (c) fish from pond sites: Verde (VE), Fondo Porto (FP), Mergolo (ME). POM: particulate organic matter were higher than those of Canadian Arctic areas affected by conspicuous bird colonies (Brimble et al 2009, Michelutti et al 2010. Trace metal concentrations in the marine sediments also showed spatial variations, with a tendency to increase from upstream to downstream and a significant peak in the site adjacent to VE and FP, which was especially marked for THg.…”

“…Seabird droppings have indeed been acknowledged to be a significant source of trace metals in polar (Godzik 1991, Blais et al 2005, Brimble et al 2009) and temperate areas (e.g. the Spanish coasts: Otero Pérez 1998) at high bird densities.…”