Seasonal dietary shift to zooplankton influences stable isotope ratios and total mercury concentrations in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus (L.))

Kahilainen, Kimmo K.; Thomas, S.; Keva, Ossi; Hayden, Brian; Knudsen, Rune; Eloranta, Antti P.; Tuohiluoto, K.; Amundsen, Per‐Arne; Malinen, Tommi; Järvinen, Antero

doi:10.1007/s10750-016-2685-y

Cited by 30 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…The total mercury (THg) concentrations in Arctic charr tissues seem to be altered by their seasonal shift in diet from benthos (winter) to a dominance of zooplankton (late summer and autumn), as was confirmed using stable isotope studies in a north Norwegian lake (Kahilainen et al, 2016b). The THg concentrations in Arctic charr in the subarctic Lake Galggojavri were low, and no individuals exceeded the recommended health authorization limits (Kahilainen et al, 2016b).…”

Section: Life-history and Trophic Studiesmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…The THg concentrations in Arctic charr in the subarctic Lake Galggojavri were low, and no individuals exceeded the recommended health authorization limits (Kahilainen et al, 2016b). As the month when fish were collected was an important explanatory factor for THg concentration, seasonality should be considered when designing future mercury (and/or other pollutants) monitoring programmes.…”

Section: Life-history and Trophic Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The role of Salvelinus in contemporary studies of evolution, trophic ecology and anthropogenic change

et al. 2016

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Section: Life-history and Trophic Studiesmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Life-history and Trophic Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of Salvelinus in contemporary studies of evolution, trophic ecology and anthropogenic change

et al. 2016

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“…Overall, ranges of C:N and %N values were narrow across the species used in the present study. For example, C:N values measured in all fish were close to 3, indicating very low lipid content among species (Kahilainen et al 2016). Bloom (1992) also assessed the relationship between %MeHg and lipid content of fish muscle and found no relationship, despite a 25-fold difference in lipid estimates across samples.…”

Section: Effect Of Tissue Quality On Muscle %Mehgmentioning

confidence: 99%

Percentage of methylmercury in the muscle tissue of freshwater fish varies with body size and age and among species

Lescord

Johnston

Branfireun

et al. 2018

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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It is commonly assumed that most (>95%) of the mercury (Hg) found in fish muscle is the toxic form, methylmercury (MeHg), due to its efficient assimilation and retention in biotic tissue. However, this assumption is largely based on studies examining the percentage of MeHg (%MeHg [the fraction of total Hg as MeHg]) in muscle from mostly large-bodied predatory fish; less is known about the %MeHg in smaller bodied individuals or those of different trophic guilds. The present study analyzed MeHg and total Hg concentrations in the muscle of 2 large-bodied piscivores (walleye and northern pike), one large-bodied benthivore (white sucker), and 2 small-bodied forage fish (sculpins and shiners) across a broad size range. We found substantially lower %MeHg than the commonly assumed 95% in several fish (e.g., 17 individuals had <70% MeHg). Muscle %MeHg significantly increased with size and age in all species except walleye, which had significantly higher %MeHg than pike or suckers, particularly in smaller and younger fish (e.g., 18-21% higher at 10 g; 5-11% higher at 500 g). Results of predictive modeling suggest that muscle %MeHg is higher in pelagic-feeding fish and those with lower lipid content, although model results varied significantly among species. According to our findings, total Hg measurement in muscle is not an appropriate proxy for MeHg in smaller fish from all species, an important consideration for future piscine Hg studies and monitoring. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:2682-2691. © 2018 SETAC.

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“…In subarctic lakes, Hg often accumulates faster in the pelagic food web compartment than the littoral (e.g. Kahilainen et al, 2016a;Thomas et al, 2016;Kahilainen et al, 2017), likely reflecting increased trophic transfer efficiency in the pelagic food web. MeHg is especially highly reactive, bioaccumulating in organisms and biomagnifying through the food chain (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hg concentrations are generally highest in liver and lower in muscle, and vary among species (e.g. Jernelöv & Lann, 1971;Kahilainen et al, 2016a). In addition, MeHg/THg ratios vary between tissues: e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Total mercury concentrations in liver and muscle of European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus (L.)) in a subarctic lake - Assessing the factors driving year-round variation

Keva

Hayden

Harrod

et al. 2017

Environmental Pollution

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Subarctic lakes are characterised by extreme seasonal variation in light and temperature which influences growth, maturation, condition and resource use of fishes. However, our understanding of how seasonal changes affect mercury concentrations of fishes is limited. We conducted a year-round study (3 ice-covered months, 3 open-water months) with open-water inter-annual aspect (3 years: samples from August/September), focusing on total mercury (THg) concentrations and ecological characteristics of a common freshwater fish, European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus (L.)) from a subarctic lake. We measured THg concentrations from tissues with fast (liver, n = 164) and moderate (muscle, n = 225) turnover rates, providing information on THg dynamics over different temporal scales. In both tissues, lipid-corrected THg concentrations were highest in winter (liver: 1.70 ± 0.88 μg/g, muscle: 0.24 ± 0.05 μg/g) and lowest in summer (liver: 0.87 ± 0.72 μg/g, muscle: 0.19 ± 0.04 μg/g). THg concentrations increased in winter following the summer-autumn dietary shift to pelagic zooplankton and starvation after spawning. Whitefish THg concentrations decreased towards summer, and were associated with consumption of benthic macroinvertebrates and subsequent growth dilution. Mercury bioaccumulated in both tissues with age, both showing the strongest regression slopes in winter and lowest in summer. THg concentrations in liver and muscle tissue were correlated throughout the year, however the correlation was lowest in summer, indicating high metabolism during somatic growing season in summer and growth dilution. Multiple linear regression models explained 50% and 55% of the THg variation in liver and muscle both models dominated by seasonally-variable factors i.e. sexual maturity, δC, and condition factor. Seasonally varying bioaccumulation slopes and the higher level of intra-annual variation (21%) in whitefish THg concentration in muscle than the inter-annual accumulation (8%) highlight the importance of including seasonal factors in future THg studies.

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Seasonal dietary shift to zooplankton influences stable isotope ratios and total mercury concentrations in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus (L.))

Cited by 30 publications

References 64 publications

The role of Salvelinus in contemporary studies of evolution, trophic ecology and anthropogenic change

The role of Salvelinus in contemporary studies of evolution, trophic ecology and anthropogenic change

Percentage of methylmercury in the muscle tissue of freshwater fish varies with body size and age and among species

Total mercury concentrations in liver and muscle of European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus (L.)) in a subarctic lake - Assessing the factors driving year-round variation

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