Mercury contamination level and speciation inventory in Lakes Titicaca &amp; Uru-Uru (Bolivia): Current status and future trends

Guédron, Stéphane; Point, David; Achá, Darío; Bouchet, Sylvain; Baya, Pascale Anabelle; Tessier, Emmanuel; Monperrus, Mathilde; Molina, Carlos I.; Groleau, Alexis; Chauvaud, Laurent; Thébault, Julien; Amice, Erwan; Alanoca, L.; Duwig, Céline; Uzu, Gaëlle; Lazzaro, Xavier; Bertrand, A.; Bertrand, Sophie; Barbraud, Christophe; Delord, Karine; Gibon, François‐Marie; Ibáñez, Carla; Flores, M.; Saavedra, P. Fernandez; Ezpinoza, M.E.; Heredia, Carlos; Rocha, Flavia Sucheck Mateus da; Zepita, C.; Amouroux, David

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2017.08.009

Cited by 49 publications

(64 citation statements)

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“…While heavy metal pollution from this mining activity has not yet been found in Lake Baikal, the mining sites have elevated Cu, Mo, and Zn concentrations up to 50 km away in the Selenga River (Brumbaugh et al 2013), thus demonstrating the potential for metals transport in this changing region. Similarly, in Lake Titicaca Hg levels remain moderately low, despite extensive contamination from mining in adjoining regions (Guedron et al 2017).…”

Section: Metalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The magnitude and nature of the ecological impacts of species invasions in ancient lakes are diverse; in some cases, impacts have been magnified through interactions with other anthropogenic influences such as eutrophication or overfishing (Balirwa et al 2003;Alamanov and Mikkola 2011). Some introductions (e.g., Nile perch in Lake Victoria) had large ecological or social consequences (Hall and Mills 2000); the impacts of other invasions have been more muted while the effects of some are not yet fully understood or documented. Below, we highlight examples of intentional and unintentional introductions (also see Supporting Information Table S4).…”

Section: Species Introductionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…into Lake Victoria may be the best documented and most ecologically and socially impactful intentional species introduction in an ancient lake. All four species were introduced into Lake Victoria in the 1950s and 1960s by the British colonial authorities in Uganda to improve the fishery of the lake, which previously relied on endemic haplochromine cichlids and tilapias (Hall and Mills 2000;Pringle 2005). Nile perch, a voracious piscivore, decimated the endemic fish community, leading to the disappearance of more than half of the lake's 500 endemic cichlid species and large alterations to community and foodweb structure in the lake (Ogutu-Ohwayo 1990;Hall and Mills 2000).…”

Section: Species Introductionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All four species were introduced into Lake Victoria in the 1950s and 1960s by the British colonial authorities in Uganda to improve the fishery of the lake, which previously relied on endemic haplochromine cichlids and tilapias (Hall and Mills 2000;Pringle 2005). Nile perch, a voracious piscivore, decimated the endemic fish community, leading to the disappearance of more than half of the lake's 500 endemic cichlid species and large alterations to community and foodweb structure in the lake (Ogutu-Ohwayo 1990;Hall and Mills 2000). The negative impacts of Nile perch on the Lake Victoria ecosystem and its endemic species are thought to have been exacerbated by overfishing of the stocks of endemic species and the rapid eutrophication of the lake since the second half of the 20 th century (Balirwa et al 2003;Hecky et al 2010).…”

Section: Species Introductionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the late 2000s, Nile perch dominated the economic value of the fishery on Lake Victoria (the world's largest freshwater fishery), supporting a $350 million yr 21 export industry and millions of people in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania (Mkumbo and Marshall 2015). The refocusing of fishing effort toward Nile perch and the creation of a large export industry around the lake also had important social consequences, leading to a decline in small-scale subsistence fishing in favor of mechanized fishing fleets and the redistribution of people and capital (Riedmiller 1994;Hall and Mills 2000;Mkumbo and Marshall 2015).…”

Section: Species Introductionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Recent ecological change in ancient lakes

Hampton

McGowan

Ozersky

et al. 2018

Limnology & Oceanography

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Ancient lakes are among the best archivists of past environmental change, having experienced more than one full glacial cycle, a wide range of climatic conditions, tectonic events, and long association with human settlements. These lakes not only record long histories of environmental variation and human activity in their sediments, but also harbor very high levels of biodiversity and endemism. Yet, ancient lakes are faced with a familiar suite of anthropogenic threats, which may degrade the unusual properties that make them especially valuable to science and society. In all ancient lakes for which data exist, significant warming of surface waters has occurred, with a broad range of consequences. Eutrophication threatens both native species assemblages and regional economies reliant on clean surface water, fisheries, and tourism. Where sewage contributes nutrients and heavy metals, one can anticipate the occurrence of less understood emerging contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and microplastics that negatively affect lake biota and water quality. Human populations continue to increase in most of the ancient lakes’ watersheds, which will exacerbate these concerns. Further, human alterations of hydrology, including those produced through climate change, have altered lake levels. Co‐occurring with these impacts have been intentional and unintentional species introductions, altering biodiversity. Given that the distinctive character of each ancient lake is strongly linked to age, there may be few options to remediate losses of species or other ecosystem damage associated with modern ecological change, heightening the imperative for understanding these systems.

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Section: Metalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Species Introductionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Species Introductionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Species Introductionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Species Introductionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Recent ecological change in ancient lakes

Hampton

McGowan

Ozersky

et al. 2018

Limnology & Oceanography

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Mercury Exposure and Toxicological Consequences in Fish and Fish‐Eating Wildlife from Anthropogenic Activity in Latin America

Canham

González-Prieto

Elliott

2020

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

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Despite the risk of significant adverse toxicological effects of Hg to humans and wildlife, Hg use in anthropogenic activities, and artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in particular, is widespread throughout Latin America. However, there are few research and monitoring studies of Hg toxicity in fish and fish-eating wildlife in Latin America compared to North America. In the present paper, we reviewed the literature from published articles and reports and summarized and assessed data on Hg in fish from 10 391 individuals and 192 species sampled across Latin America. We compared fish Hg levels with toxicity reference values (TRVs) for fish and dietary TRVs for fish-eating wildlife. We determined that fish, piscivorous birds, and other wildlife are at risk of Hg toxicity. We observed a large disparity in data quantity between North and Latin America, and identified regions requiring further investigation. In particular, future biomonitoring and research should focus on exposure of wildlife to Hg in Peru, Chile, Uruguay, the eastern and northern regions of Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia. We also discuss Hg risk assessment methodological issues and recommend that future evaluations of Hg risk to wildlife must collect key physiological variables, including age, body size, and ideally Hg-to-Se molar ratios. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;00:1-14.

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