Wetland water-management may influence mercury bioaccumulation in songbirds and ducks at a mercury hotspot

Winder, Virginia L.; Anteau, Michael J.; Fisher, Mark; Wilcox, Mary Kate; Igl, Lawrence D.; Ackerman, Joshua T.

doi:10.1007/s10646-019-02143-w

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Title 11: Wetland water-management may influence mercury bioaccumulation in songbirds and ducks at a mercury hotspot Winder et al (2020) makes use of a water-level manipulation to examine the role of four water management classifications on Hg bioaccumulation in two songbird species (common yellowthroats, Geothlypis trichas, and Nelson's sparrows, Ammospiza nelson) and three waterfowl species at a National Wildlife Refuge complex, in North Dakota, USA. Nelson's sparrow blood Hg concentrations were elevated and similar to those reported six years previously for the same population, indicating no reduction in exposure.…”

Section: Landscape and Management Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of mercury on North American songbirds: effects, trends, and predictive factors

Cristol

Evers

2020

Ecotoxicology

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Researchers were asked to contribute new results addressing questions about the exposure and effects of mercury (Hg) in North American songbirds, a rapidly declining group of species that is the subject of enduring interest for millions of birdwatchers, the general public and conservation scientists. Important questions to be answered include: Is Hg causing or exacerbating songbird population declines? Which North American songbirds are at most risk and in which landscapes? Are there aspects of songbird natural history that pre-dispose them to risks of Hg exposure and effects, in particular, their migratory behavior? In all, 61 authors contributed 15 studies addressing aspects of these questions. Articles in this special issue address an array of topics including: (1) three studies on health effects in the laboratory using a domesticated songbird model species, the zebra finch; (2) three studies on changes in songbird exposure to Hg over time spans from less than a decade to more than a century; (3) five studies on landscape characteristics or management practices that cause the oft-noted spatial variation in Hg accumulation by resident songbirds, from the subarctic tundra to high-elevation tropical forests; (4) three papers examining the recently recognized role of migration behavior in predicting risk to songbirds from Hg; and (5) one paper on the potential pitfalls of using feather Hg concentration as a bioindicator for Hg exposure. In summary, although there are many questions still to be answered, it is clear that the effects of Hg are persistent long after exposure, Hg exposure of North American songbirds is not improving, predicting exposure requires a detailed understanding of ecosystem processes beyond simply the amount of Hg present at a site, migration behavior predisposes songbirds to risk of Hg exposure and effects, and carefully selecting appropriate bioindicator sites, species, and tissues is critical to any monitoring efforts.

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Section: Landscape and Management Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%